| Syrian Air Force | |
|---|---|
| |
.svg) | |
| Founded | 1945; 80 years ago (1945) |
| Country |  Syria |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 15,000 (as of 2021)[1] troops |
| Part of | Syrian Armed Forces |
| Headquarters | Damascus |
| Nicknames | NosourQasioun (Arabic:نُسُور قَاسِيُون,lit. 'Qasioun eagles') |
| March | We are the Eagles (Arabic:نَحْنُ النُّسُورُ,romanized: Naḥn-un-Nusūr) |
| Anniversaries | 16 October |
| Equipment |
|
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Ahmed al-Sharaa |
| Minister of Defence | Major GeneralMurhaf Abu Qasra |
| Commander of the Air Force | Brigadier GeneralAsim Hawari |
| Chief of Air Staff | Brigadier GeneralMustafa Bakour |
| Deputy Chief of Air Staff | Brigadier GeneralHassan Hamada |
| Notable commanders | Hafez al-Assad Muhammad al-Khuli Issam Hallaq |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Fin flash | .svg) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Su-22,Su-24 |
| Fighter | MiG-21,MiG-23,MiG-29 |
| Helicopter | Mil Mi-14,Mil Mi-17,Mil Mi-8,Mil Mi-2,Kamov Ka-28,Kamov Ka-226 |
| Attack helicopter | Mil Mi-24,Gazelle |
| Reconnaissance | MiG-25 |
| Trainer | L-39,PA-31,MFI-17 |
| Transport | Il-76,An-24,An-26 |
TheSyrian Air Force (Arabic:الْقُوَّاتُ الْجَوِّيَّةُ السُّورِيَّةُ,romanized: al-Quwwāt al-Jawwīyah al-Sūrīyah) is theair force branch of theSyrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948, and first saw action in the1948 Arab–Israeli War. UnderBa'athist Syria until 8 December 2024, it was known as the Syrian Arab Air Force. Land-based air defense systems were grouped under theSyrian Air Defence Force, which split from both the Air Force and the Army.
As of March 2025, the air force status is unknown, with some of its equipment being lost following theHay'at Tahrir al-Sham and other rebel groupsoffensive in November 2024 and subsequentIsraeli Air Force'sairstrikes in December 2024, following thecollapse of the Assad regime.[3]
The end ofWorld War II led to the withdrawal of theUnited Kingdom andFrance from theMiddle East, and this included a withdrawal fromSyria. In 1948, the Syrian Air Force was officially established after the first class of pilots graduated from a French-run flight school at Estabel airfield in Lebanon, using aircraft left behind by the French. Further training of early Syrian military fliers was continued with help of a sizeable group of Croat and German instructors, contracted by the Lebanese and Syrian governments from refugee camps in Italy.[4] Among the foreign instructors wereMato Dukovac (a leadingCroatian Air Force fighter ace of World War II) and Fritz Strehle (former Me.262 pilot withJagdgeschwader 7 of theLuftwaffe), who trained Syrian pilots at Estabel in 1948 and at Nayrab airfield (south of Aleppo) in 1949.[5][6]
Organized into three squadrons, one of which was equipped withNorth American T-6 Harvards, the air force participated in the1948 Arab–Israeli War, conducting bombing raids against Israeli forces and settlements. One T-6 was lost to ground fire while attackingAyelet Hashahar on 16 July, and another possibly shot down by Morris Mann (flying anAvia S-199) on 10 June. The Syrian Air Force claimed its sole kill of the war on 10 July when a rear gunner of a Harvard shot down an Avia S-199 flown by Lionel Bloch.[citation needed]
Planes of the Syrian Air Force in 1948.[7]
| Type aircraft | Role | Total number | Operational aircraft | Squadron number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North American T-6 Texan | Attack | 17 | 12 | 1 & 2 |
| Avro Anson | Light bomber | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Douglas C-47 Dakota | Transport | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Percival Proctor | Communication | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Fairchild 24 | Advanced trainer | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Piper J-3 Cub | Basic trainer | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| de Havilland Tiger Moth | Basic trainer | 6 | 6 | Unknown |
| Total | 43 | 38 |
During and immediately after this war, successive governments sought to bolster the air force through the acquisition ofFiat G.55s,Fiat G.59B-2s, andFiat G.46-1s from Italy. In January 1950, a set of contracts was signed with London, providing for training of Syrian officers and pilots, along with the acquisition ofde Havilland Chipmunk basic trainers,Supermarine Spitfire Mk 22s, andGloster Meteor F.Mk 8 and T.Mk 7 jets from Great Britain. While the Chipmunks and Spitfires arrived without problems and entered service with the Flight School at Nayrab, the delivery of Meteors was held up by a temporary British arms embargo.
The original batch of Meteors manufactured for Syria was sold to France instead. It was only following additional negotiations that SyAF received its first jet aircraft, in the form of two Meteor F.Mk 8s. All 12 were in Syria by 9 March 1953. Another batch of seven refurbished ex-RAF F.Mk 8s and two FR.Mk 9 reconnaissance fighters followed in 1956. In summer 1954, six ex-RAF Meteor NF.Mk 13 were delivered without their radar equipment: in Syria, they were used for training purposes until 1958. Because the government of Great Britain imposed additional arms embargoes, most of pilots for Meteors had to be trained in Egypt.[8]
In 1955, Syria placed its first order for 24MiG-15bis fighters and 4 MiG-15UTI two-seat conversion trainers from Czechoslovakia ('Operation 104'). Another batch of 24 MiG-15s was ordered in early 1956. All these aircraft were delivered to Egypt, by October 1956, but their pilots and ground crews were still undergoing training when Israel, followed by France and Great Britain, invaded Egypt in the course of theSuez Crisis of 1956. Three MiG-15UTIs were evacuated to Syria via Saudi Arabia and Jordan; 20 MiG-15bis and 1 MiG-15UTI were destroyed in British attacks on Abu Suweir Air Base. The second batch of 20 MiG-15bis' was not yet assembled: the aircraft in question were all damaged by British air strikes, but subsequently repaired and donated to Egypt. On 6 November 1956, Meteors from No. 9 Squadron Syrian Air Force had shot down aRoyal Air ForceCanberra PR.7 that was involved in reconnaissance of Syria and Iraq. The aircraft crashed on the border to Lebanon: one crewmember was killed, while two were captured alive.[9]
SixtyMiG-17s - including 20 radar-equipped MiG-17PFs - were ordered at the end of 1956 and Syrian pilots were dispatched to theUSSR and Poland for training. The first aircraft arrived in January 1957 and by the end of the year, two MiG-17 squadrons were defending the capital from their base at Damasucus'Mezzeh Military Airport. By the end of the year, additional orders were placed in the USSR for 12Ilyushin Il-28 bombers.[10]
In February 1958 Syria andEgypt joined to create theUnited Arab Republic. The Syrian Air Force was integrated into the United Arab Republic Air Force (UARAF) and ceased to exist. Nearly all of its aircraft and personnel, all of training aids and most of the equipment were re-deployed to Egypt, and replaced by two squadrons of MiG-17Fs of the UARAF. For example, recently delivered MiG-17PFs and their pilots formed the No. 31 'Crow-Bat' Squadron of the UARAF. During the times of the United Arab Republic, this unit was always commanded by a Syrian officer.
The union ended following the1961 Syrian coup d'état. The new military flying service - officially designated the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) - was re-established later the same year, using aircraft left behind by the Egyptians, including about 40 MiG-17Fs and 4Il-28s.[6]
The new government of the Syrian Arab Republic attempted to buy additional aircraft in Germany and Italy, in 1961 and 1962. When all related efforts failed, Syria was left without a choice but to turn to Czechoslovakia for arms. By the time, Czechoslovakia was out of the business of producing fighters and interceptors, and thus the Syrians had to buy from Soviet Union instead. On 19 June 1962, Damascus and Moscow signed a major contract for arms, including an order for 34MiG-21F-13 interceptors and 4 MiG-21U conversion trainers.[11]
Delivered starting in spring 1963, MiG-21s entered service with two squadrons of the 3rd Air Brigade, based at Dmeyr Air Base, 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Damascus. MiG-17s were meanwhile operated by two squadrons of the 7th Air Brigade, based at Almezzeh Air Base, in Damascus.[11]
With the ascent to power of the Baath Party, during the1963 Syrian coup d'état,Hafez al-Assad (former Meteor- and MiG-17PF-pilot), was appointed the Commander of SyAAF. Preoccupied with his involvement in domestic politics, Assad left the effective command of the SyAAF to his Deputy, Brigadier-General Mohammad Assad Moukiiad (former Meteor-pilot trained in Great Britain).[12]
During theSix-Day War, the SyAAF flew few air strikes on targets in northern Israel on the first day of the conflict but was subsequently evacuated to air bases in remote parts of Syria. In this fashion it evaded most of Israeli air strikes that caused massive damage to Egyptian and Jordanian air bases. This, in turn, helped theIDF in defeating the Syrian Army on the ground and led to the occupation of theGolan Heights. After this conflict, Syria continued acquiring small numbers of MiG-17s from East Germany and MiG-21s from the Soviet Union.[13]
In May 1973, a new arms deal was signed with the Soviet Union, resulting in deliveries of over 100 additional MiG-21M/MFs by the end of the year. TheYom Kippur War provided initial success for both Syria and Egypt, but the SyAAF suffered extensive losses in air combats, prompting the Soviets to launch an air-bridge to Aleppo and Damascus, starting on 9 October 1973. Replacement aircraft initially included only MiG-17s and MiG-21s: in April 1974, Syria received the first two batches ofMiG-23 fighter-bombers. Acquisition of additional aircraft from the USSR was stopped in 1975 due to differences of political nature between Damascus and Moscow.[14]
In the late 1970s, an insurgency characterised by dozens of assassinations of government officials and military officers erupted in Syria. By 1978, theMuslim Brotherhood in Syria joined thearmed uprising.[15] Concerned by destabilisation of the government of President Hafez al-Assad, Moscow decided to restart providing arms and military aid. In April of the same year, a new arms deal was signed, including deliveries of advanced MiG-23MF andMiG-25 interceptors, and additional MiG-23BN andSu-22 fighter-bombers, and deployment of up to 4000 of Soviet advisors. However, the insurgency continued to spread and included attacks on Soviet advisors.
In 1981, the commander of the SyAAF, Major-General Mamdouh Hamdi Abaza, was assassinated by theMuslim Brotherhood in Syria. In early 1982, hundreds of SyAAF officers became involved in a coup attempt against President Hafez al-Assad, originally planned to take place in coordination with an armed uprising in the city ofHama. The government bloodily crushed the uprising in Hama, and subsequently purged the SyAAF.[16]
The Syrian Arab Air Force thus entered the1982 Lebanon War in significantly weakened condition and suffered massive losses ina series of aerial combats between 6 and 11 June 1982. Israel claimed the destruction of 85 Syrian MiGs (including MiG-21s as well as MiG-23s).[17] No evidence was ever provided for Soviet and Russian claims that the SyAAF had shot down up to 60 Israeli aircraft in return. Nevertheless, unofficial Russian, and a few unofficial Syrian sources continue to claim a modicum of success against Israeli aircraft in this conflict. At low altitude the Syrian Air Force effectively usedAerospatiale Gazelle helicopters in the anti-armour role against advancing Israeli ground forces. In one such engagement, an Israeli tank column was stopped for some hours by SAF Gazelle missile strikes while approaching Ein Zehalta.[18]
Immediately after the 1982 Lebanon War, the USSR continued to refuse deliveries of more advanced aircraft. It was only in August 1982, that Moscow changed its mind and granted permission for delivery of MiG-23ML interceptors, followed by advanced Su-22M-4 fighter-bombers. In an attempt to help Syria establish a strategic balance with Israel, in 1986 the Syrians were granted permission to place orders for 24MiG-29s and 24Su-24s. Deliveries of these commenced in 1987, but were still incomplete by the time the Soviet Union officially ceased providing military aid to Syria, in 1989.
Short on spares and lacking funding for fuel and maintenance, the SyAAF was largely grounded for most of the 1990s and 2000s. Reports regarding purchases ofSu-27s in 2000–2001,MiG-29SMTs,MiG-31s, andYak-130s from the period 2006–2008, have all proven to be unfounded.[19] The only reinforcement the air force acquired during this period came in form of 28 MiG-23MLDs and 5 MiG-23UBs acquired from Belarus in 2008. In 2008, Syria has agreed to purchase 36 aircraft,[20] but delivery of these has been postponed by Russia due to the conflict in Syria.[21] In May 2014 Russia announced that it would supply Syria with Yakovlev Yak-130s. Syria was expected to receive nine aircraft by the end of 2014, 12 in 2015 and 15 in 2016, for a total of 36 airplanes.[22][23] However, as of 2022, no deliveries had taken place.
In July 2012 at the Farnborough Air Show it was announced that Russia would not deliver any new aircraft including the MiG-29M/M2s and Yak-130s while there was still a crisis in Syria, but it would still respect any previous refurbishment and maintenance contracts such as the MiG-25s.[24]
Following theSyrian Civil War andHay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) bringingBashar al-Assad's regime to an end, theIsraeli Air Force executedstrikes nearly destroying the entire air force between 8 and 10 December 2024,[25][26] to prevent strategic assets falling into the hands of militant groups.[27]
In January, the former HTS rebels began repairing helicopters and reforming air units. Videos published on social media indicate that theSyrian caretaker government had some operational Mi-17, Ka-27, and SA342 Gazelle helicopters. According toMilitarnyi former pilots of the Syrian Arab Air Force may have been recruited into the reformed Air Force.[28][29]
The Syrian Air Force utilized helicopters during theMarch 2025 Western Syria clashes.[30] According toMilitarnyi, at least one Mi-24 attack helicopter was seen engaging unidentified targets with unguided rockets.[29]
From early April, the Air Force's fixed-wing infrastructure came under pressure from Israeli aerial assaults. Across early April, multiple Syrian airbases, most notably theT4 (Tiyas),Hama Air Base, and facilities near Damascus, were struck in over 30 separate incidents, reportedly causing significant runway damage and destroying key military hardware.[31][32][33]
By mid‑May, efforts to restore capabilities were underway. On 15 May,Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra convened withAir Force Commander Asem Hamari to review progress in rehabilitating air units affected by the December 2024 airstrikes.[34][35][36] On 20–21 May, Syrian air and ground infrastructure again became targets. TheKhmeimim Air Base inLatakia, used jointly by Syrian and Russian forces, came under assault by theBurkan al‑Furat insurgent group. The clash resulted in multiple casualties, though Russian forces reportedly maintained control.[34][35][37]
During the initial phase of theSyrian civil war, up to mid-2012, the Syrian Air Force was involved in secondary roles, with no firing from aircraft and helicopters.[38]
The situation changed on 22 March 2012, with an escalation in the use of airpower by Government forces,[39] starting with armed Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopter gunships firing rockets and machine guns.[40]The air war escalated further in mid June 2012, with the use of Mi-24/25 attack helicopters capable of dropping standard aviation bombs weighing up to 250 kg,[41][42] while the transport helicopters started dropping barrel bombs, aerialIEDs.[43]
On 24 July 2012, attack sorties by fixed-wing aircraft were reported by the rebels and recorded on video: initially L-39COIN armed trainers began using rockets, bombs and guns[39][44] but they were quickly joined by MiG-21s and MiG-23s.[45][46] A few weeks later Su-22 ground attack aircraft were used and in November 2012, Su-24 medium bombers were filmed bombing rebels.[47]In December 2012, conventionally armedScud missiles and other similar ballistic missiles were fired against rebel positions.[48]
Following a report on the appearance of newly delivered S-8 air-to-ground rocket pods previously not operated by the Syrian Air Force, being employed on different aircraft,[citation needed] on 22 October 2013, a S-8 armedMiG-29 was spotted and recorded on video while flying over Damascus, suggesting that the type was pushed into action for ground attack, possibly after the pilots attended specific training on the type.[49] Subsequently, MiG-29's were recorded performing rocket and gun attack runs on rebel positions.[50][51]
The first reported activity of SyrianMiG-25 aircraft in the civil war was recorded on 8 February 2014, when two Turkish Air Force F-16s were scrambled to intercept a Syrian MiG-25 which was approaching the Turkish border.[52] On 27 March 2014, a MiG-25 was clearly filmed while flying at medium altitude over Hama Eastern countryside, possibly delivering the bomb seen hitting the ground in the same video.[citation needed] Until February 2014, Syrian MiG-25s were not seen, perhaps due to the type of war, different from the role of the MiG-25 and possibly due to initial technical difficulties in keeping the MiG-25 fleet operational. The use of the MiG-25 in the Syrian Civil War marks the starting point since when all the known types of Syrian combat aircraft and ballistic missiles came into use.
With the start of aerial operations by the Syrian Air Force, in August 2012, online publications[53] probably overestimating rebels' claims on the number of destroyed aircraft, assumed that the Syrian Air Force was suffering significant technical difficulties, resulting in less than half of the best SAAF ground attack aircraft such as the Mi-25 Hind-D being serviceable. The publications reported that an increased number of conflict fronts and severe maintenance burdens dramatically worsened the situation, which was reportedly difficult before the war. These problems were thought to account for the use of L-39ZA (attack variant) jets,[54][55] before further escalations. Operational limitations were overcome during 2013 as Syrian pilots and technicians with the assistance of foreign advisers and technicians began to improve their operational skills. In December 2013 Jane's reported that the Syrian Air Force had dramatically improved its operational capabilities during 2013, and was now frequently conducting up to 100 sorties per day with half of these constituting combat sorties.[56]
Insurgents counter the Syrian Air Force with truck mounted, medium and heavy machine guns, anti-aircraft guns,small arms fire and starting in late 2012,MANPADS up to modern Russian and Chinese designs.[57]
As the Syrian Air Force became more involved, the insurgents obtained more anti-aircraft equipment, captured air defense sites and warehouses while receiving shipments of Chinese and Russian material from external sponsors.[58] An improvement in accuracy was achieved and several Syrian Air Force jets and helicopters were shot down from August 2012.[59] Since insurgents besieged many airports, many of the aircraft were shot down taking off or landing. The raiding and shelling of airbases led to aircraft and helicopters being damaged or destroyed on the ground.[60]
In spite of occasional losses the Syrian Air Force remained largely unchallenged, efficient and feared by the rebels until its collapse.[61] Compared to Western air forces fighting against similarly armed enemies in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, the main disadvantage of the Syrian Air Force was the lack of precision guided weapons which allow the aircraft to stay out of range ofsmall arms fire,AAA andMANPADS, while bombing accurately. The same weakness prevents them from hitting targets of opportunity in the same mission. In 2014, Jane's Defence and Combat Aircraft Monthly report someMiG-29s[62] and possibly someSu-24s capable of launching precision guided munitions.[63]
Syrian pilots spend most of their flying time at low to medium altitude where battlefield threats are more potent.Based on the aircraft type, Syrian pilots use different attack techniques for unguided munitions. L-39s attack in a dive, fast jets usually attacked in a low to medium altitude bombing run at high speed, firing thermal decoy flares against IR homing missiles and zooming after the attack.[64] Later, fast jets added rocket and gun diving attacks.[65][66][67][68] Helicopters were seen flying at unusually high altitudes which minimized their accuracy and increased collateral damage, but reduced losses since they did not have the high speed and acceleration of jet fighters; the altitude putting them out of range of most of the ground threats. Mi-24/25 gunships were observed delivering decoy flares as well.[69]
The Syrian Air Force frequently attacks insurgent forces with helicopter gunships in populated areas with unguided weaponry and the bombings often causecollateral damage to the civilian population and infrastructure.[70][71][72][73][74][75][76]From the end of 2012 until December 2014, Syrian Air Force L-39 were seldom seen, one of the two airbases for L-39 was captured and the other was besieged. In December 2014, videos surfaced showing the aircraft coming back to operational status after a factory overhaul inside Syria.[citation needed]
At the beginning of August 2015, a summary of the recent Syrian Air Force activity reported that during July 2015, the Syrian Air Force performed 6,673 air attacks, the highest number since the beginning of the war. It was reported that between October 2014 and July 2015, at least 26,517 attacks were made.[77] This showed that aircraft losses had been overestimated, while the airframe overhauling and rotation increased the overall combat readiness of the Syrian Air Force since Syria could not count on replacements, apart from some refurbished ex-Iraqi Su-22s, delivered from Iran in the Spring of 2015, which had been flown there during theGulf War in 1991.[78] In early 2015, it was rumored that Russian pilots were flying operations for the Syrian Air Force.[79]
On 18 June 2017, US military officials confirmed that a U.S.F/A-18E Super Hornet shot down a SyrianSukhoi Su-22 after the warplane dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqa.[80] Following the Syrian civil war and the end ofBashar Al-Assad regime, theIsraeli Air Force executed several air strikes on Syrian air force bases resulting in a near-total destruction of the Syrian Air Force.[25]
As of 2017, the Syrian Arab Air force consisted of following units:[81]
These included following units:
Syrian insurgents overran several air bases in north-western, northern and southern Syria, including Marj al-Sultan andTaftanaz Air Base (mid-January 2013),[82][83] Dhab'a Air Base (better known as al-Qussayr, in April 2013), and Kshesh Air Base (October 2013).[84]
Forces ofThe Islamic State capturedTabqa Air Base on 24 August 2014.[85]
Due to the high security level on everything military related in the Syrian regime, the past of the Syrian Arab Air Force is still largely unknown. This makes it hard to judge what was the real strength of the air force.[86] Additionally, considerable losses to theopposition forces in the country's ongoing civil war are not accounted for here. The following information is compiled from multiple, pre-2012 Syrian civil war sources.
According to theCenter for Strategic and International Studies in 2011 the aircraft inventory from Syrian Arab Air Force estimations was:[87][88]
Current status of the Syrian Air Force is uncertain following theHay'at Tahrir al-Sham and other insurgent groupsNovember 2024 offensive and theIsraeli Air Force airstrikes between the8th and 10th December 2024.[3] The rebels also reportedly seized a non-operationalIlyushin Il-28 bomber kept in storage after the capture ofHama.[89]
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | Previous Inventory | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| MiG-21 | Soviet Union | Fighter /Interceptor | MF/bis[90] | 50[91] | ||
| MiG-23 | Soviet Union | Fighter-bomber | MF/ML/MLD[92] | 87[91] | Some were captured bySyrian opposition forces.[89] At least 60 were destroyed duringOperation Bashan Arrow according to Israeli claims[93] | |
| MiG-25 | Soviet Union | Interceptor | RB | 2[91] | ||
| MiG-29 | Soviet Union[94] Russia | Multirole | SE/SM/SMT[95] | 29[91] | 30 were destroyed during Operation Bashan Arrow according to Israeli claims[93] | |
| Sukhoi Su-22 | Soviet Union | Fighter-bomber | M3/M4[92] | 39[91] | At least one squadron was destroyed during Operation Bashan Arrow according to Israeli claims[93] | |
| Sukhoi Su-24 | Soviet Union | Fighter-bomber | MK2[96] | 18[91] | At least 10 were destroyed during Operation Bashan Arrow according to Israeli claims[93] | |
| Reconnaissance | ||||||
| Piper PA-32 | United States | Surveillance | 2[91] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Antonov An-24 | Soviet Union | Transport | TV | 1[97] | ||
| Antonov An-26 | Ukraine | Transport | B | 6[97] | ||
| Ilyushin Il-76 | Soviet Union | Strategic airlifter | M/TD | 4[97][98] | ||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Mil Mi-2 | Poland | Utility | 3[91] | |||
| Mil Mi-8 | Soviet Union | Utility | Mi-8T/TVK | 49[91] | 1 was captured by Syrian opposition forces while another was destroyed[99] | |
| Mil Mi-14 | Soviet Union | ASW /SAR | PL/PS | 10[91] | ||
| Mil Mi-24 | Soviet Union | Attack | Mi-24D | 27[91] | ||
| Kamov Ka-27 | Soviet Union | ASW / Utility | Ka-28 | 2[91] | ||
| Kamov Ka-226 | Russia | ASW / Utility | 2[97] | |||
| Aérospatiale Gazelle | France | Utility / Scout | SA342L | 62[91] | At least 1 was captured by Syrian opposition forces[100] | |
| Trainer aircraft | ||||||
| Aero L-39 | Czechoslovakia | Jet trainer | ZO/ZA[101] | 23[91] | At least 7 were captured by Syrian opposition forces[99] | |
| MFI-17 Mushshak | Pakistan | Trainer | 6[91] | |||
| Name | Origin | Type | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air-to-surface missile | ||||||
| S-5 | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102] | |||
| S-8 | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102] | |||
| S-24 | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102] | |||
| S-25 | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102] | |||
| Kh-23 Grom | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102][103] | |||
| Kh-25 | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102] | |||
| Kh-28 | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102] | |||
| Kh-29 | Soviet Union | Air-to-surface missile | [102] | |||
| Kh-31 | Russia | Air-to-surface missile | [104] | |||
| Kh-58 | Russia | Air-to-surface missile | [102][105] | |||
| Kh-59 | Russia | Air-to-surface missile Air-launched cruise missile | [102][105] | |||
| Air-to-air missile | ||||||
| K-13 | Soviet Union | Air-to-air missile | [106] 5 were captured by Syrian Opposition forces.[107] | |||
| R-23 | Soviet Union | Air-to-air missile | [108] | |||
| R-27 | Soviet Union | Air-to-air missile | [109] | |||
| R-40 | Soviet Union | Air-to-air missile | [102] | |||
| R-60 | Soviet Union | Air-to-air missile | [110] | |||
| R-73 | Soviet Union | Air-to-air missile | [102] | |||
| R-77 | Russia | Air-to-air missile | [111] | |||
Previous aircraft operated were theGloster Meteor,Supermarine Spitfire,de Havilland DH.100 Vampire,Sukhoi Su-7,MiG-15,MiG-17,MiG-19,Ilyushin Il-28,Antonov An-2,Douglas C-47,Junkers Ju 52,T-6 Texan,Fiat G.46,Fiat G.55,Beriev Be-12,Aero L-29 Delfin,Yakovlev Yak-18,Tupolev Tu-143,MBB 223 Flamingo,Mil Mi-1,Mil Mi-6, andMil Mi-4.[112][113]
During the ongoing Syrian Civil War, the Syrian Air force suffered numerous losses of fixed, and rotary aircraft in the opening years.[114] However, with Russian and Iranian support, combat readiness of the Syrian Arab Air Force assets had significantly increased during the later years of the conflict.[115]
The following officers have served as Commanders of the Air Force:
The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Syrian Air Force[131] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
| فريق Fariq | عماد أول Eimad 'awal | عماد Eimad | لواء Alliwa' | عميد Amid | عقيد Aqid | مقدم Muqaddam | رائد Ra'id | نقيب Naqib | ملازم أول Mulazim awwal | ملازم Mulazim | ||||||||||||||
The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syrian Air Force[131] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| مساعد أول Musaeid 'awal | مساعد ثاني Musaeid thani | مساعد Musaeid | رقيب أول Raqib 'awal | رقيب ثاني Raqib thani | رقيب Raqib | عريف Earif | جندي أول Jundiun 'awal | جندي Jundiun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It consists of three concentric circles, with a green outer part, white middle and black inner part. The unique part of the Syrian roundel is the presence of three red stars in the white circle, which is reflective of the three stars on thenational flag. The fin flash is also an image of the flag.
%2c_Roundel_of_Syria_(1980%25E2%2580%25932024).svg)
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. Syria: A Country Study.Federal Research Division.
A well-connected man in Damascus says many are flown by Russians, whose government backs Mr Assad
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