The Lebanese Armed Forces
The Lebanese Army has been largely confined to an internal security role and is heavily influenced by Syria with its 35,000 troops stationed in Lebanon. Syrian military intelligence is believed to have many active agents in the Lebanese Army and in Lebanese military intelligence.
Present Status, January 2000:
Total strength of roughly 55,100
Army consists of 53,300 men and women, including conscripts, divided into 11 Mechanized infantry brigades, 1 Presidential Guard Brigade, 1 Commando/ranger regiment, 5 special forces regiments, 2 artillery regiments, 1 air assault regiment, and 1 Navy Commando regiment. Equipment readiness and sustainability is improving, but is poor. Standardization and the spare parts situation very poor.
Equipment:
MBTs: 110 M-48A1/A5, 205 T-54/T-55.
AFVs: 35 AMX-13s, 40 Saladin, 5 Ferret, 80 AML-90, 30 Staghound,
APCs: 725 M-113s, 20 Saracen, 30 VAB-VCI, 30 VAB-VTT, 75 AMX-VCI, 15
Panhard M3/VTT.
Towed Artillery: Various types including, 15 M-101A & 10 M-102
105mm; 33 M-1938, 10 D-30 122mm; 25 M-46, 130mm; 15 M-114A1, 35 M-198.
MRLs: 5 BM-11 and 25 BM-21 122mm.
Mortars: Various including, 150 81mm; 130 120mm.
Anti-tank Weapons: ENTAC, Milan, and 20 BGM-71 TOW ATGMs; RPG-7s, M-65
89mm rocket launchers; M-40A1 106mm recoilless rifles.
Air Force has some 800 actives. Has no real fixed wing combat capability. Limited fair-weather helicopter capability with limited survivability, firepower, and tactical skill.
Fighters: 3 obsolete Hunter F-70 and FGA-70A.
Attack Helicopters: 4 SA-342 with AS-11 and AS-12 air-t-surface anti-armor
missiles.
Other Helicopters: 32 UH-1H, 5 AB-212, 16 AB-205, 3 SA-330, 2 SA-318,
and 4 SA-319.
Training Aircraft: 3 CM-170, 3 Bulldog
Transports: 1 Dove, 1 Turbo-Commander 690A.
Navy has some 1,000 personnel. Is largely ineffective except in light patrol role against smugglers and guerrillas. Bases at Juniye, Beirut, Tripoli.
Combat Ships: 5 UK-made Attacker in-shore patrol craft; 2 UK-made Tracker
in-shore patrol craft; 27 armed boats.
Amphibious: 2 Sour-class LCTs, capable of carrying 33 troops each.
Ministry of Interior security force has 13,000 men. Includes Beirut
and regional Gendarmerie and Judicial Police.
Equipped with small arms, automatic weapons, and 30 Chamite APCs.
Customs: Equipped with 2 Tracker and 5 Aztec in-shore patrol craft.
Recent Developments:
Lebanon has asked the US for 500 more used M-113 APCs and for additional
communications equipment to enable units to respond more quickly.
Lebanon bought 16 ex-US Army Bell UH-1 helicopters from the United
States in 1995 and 16 more in 1996. Lebanon asked the US for more UH-1s
in 1998.
Since 1993 the US has provided Lebanese armed forces with $80 million
in non-lethal military aid.
Lebanon has expressed interest in purchasing armored personnel carriers,
attack helicopters, communication systems, P-3 Orion naval reconnaissance
aircraft and has requested American training for its officers.