CSIS_______________________________ Center for Strategic and International Studies 1800 K Street N.W. Washington, DC 20006 (202) 775-3270 To download further data: CSIS.ORG To contact author: [email protected] The Military Balance in the Middle East The Arab-Israeli Balance Anthony H. Cordesman Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy Revised: February 18, 2004 Copyright Anthony H. Cordesman, all rights reserved. No portion may be execerpted or reproduced without the written permission of the author and the payment of an agreed fee. The Military Balance in the Middle East – Arab-Israeli Balance I 2/23/2004 ii Page with assistance from Patrick B. Baetjer and G. Ryan Faith Copyright Anthony H. Cordesman, all rights reserved. No portion may be execerpted or reproduced without the written permission of the author and the payment of an agreed fee. The Military Balance in the Middle East – Arab-Israeli Balance I 2/23/2004 iii Page Table of Contents THE ARAB-ISRAELI MILITARY BALANCE ...................................................................................................................1 NATIONAL MILITARY FORCES..................................................................................................................................14 Israeli Military Forces.........................................................................................................................................14 Israeli Land Forces ............................................................................................................................................................ 16 Israeli Air Forces ............................................................................................................................................................... 18 Israeli Land-Based Air Defenses ....................................................................................................................................... 20 Israeli Naval Forces........................................................................................................................................................... 21 Israel’s Continuing Strategic Challenges........................................................................................................................... 22 Egyptian Military Forces.....................................................................................................................................23 Egyptian Land Forces........................................................................................................................................................ 24 Egyptian Air Forces........................................................................................................................................................... 25 Egyptian Land-Based Air Defenses................................................................................................................................... 26 Egyptian Naval Forces....................................................................................................................................................... 27 Egyptian Paramilitary Forces............................................................................................................................................. 29 Jordanian Military Forces...................................................................................................................................30 Jordanian Army ................................................................................................................................................................. 30 Jordanian Air Force ........................................................................................................................................................... 32 Jordanian Land-Based Air Defenses.................................................................................................................................. 32 Jordanian Naval Forces...................................................................................................................................................... 32 Lebanese Military Forces....................................................................................................................................32 The Lebanese Army........................................................................................................................................................... 33 The Lebanese Air Force..................................................................................................................................................... 34 Lebanese Naval Forces...................................................................................................................................................... 34 Lebanese Paramilitary Forces and the Hezbollah .............................................................................................................. 34 Palestinian Military Forces.................................................................................................................................34 Syrian Military Forces.........................................................................................................................................35 Syrian Land Forces............................................................................................................................................................ 36 Syrian Air and Air Defense Forces.................................................................................................................................... 38 Syrian Naval Forces........................................................................................................................................................... 39 MAJOR TRENDS IN ARAB-ISRAELI FORCES...............................................................................................................57 Copyright Anthony H. Cordesman, all rights reserved. No portion may be execerpted or reproduced without the written permission of the author and the payment of an agreed fee. The Military Balance in the Middle East – Arab-Israeli Balance I 2/23/2004 iv Page List of Figures Figure 5.1 ......................................................................................................................................................................5 The Arab-Israeli Balance:.............................................................................................................................................5 Forces in the Arab-Israeli “Ring” States in 2001 -Part One........................................................................................5 Figure 5.2 ......................................................................................................................................................................7 National Trends in Arab-Israeli Military Spending in Constant Dollars: The Decline in Arab Forces as a Share of Total Spending: 1985-1999 ...........................................................................................................................................7 Figure 5.3 ......................................................................................................................................................................8 Arab-Israeli Military Expenditures by Country: 1997-2002 .........................................................................................8 Figure 5.4 ......................................................................................................................................................................9 Trend in Percent of GNP Spent on Military Forces: 1983-1999: Half the Burden of the Early 1980s.........................9 IISS Estimate of Military Spending and Manpower Trends: 1985-2000.......................................................................9 Figure 5.5 ....................................................................................................................................................................10 National Trends in Arab-Israeli Arms Deliveries in Constant Dollars .......................................................................10 Figure 5.6 ....................................................................................................................................................................11 Arab-Israeli New Arms Agreements and Deliveries by Country: 1987-2002..............................................................11 Figure 5.7 ....................................................................................................................................................................12 Arab-Israeli Arms Orders by Supplier Country: 1987-2002.......................................................................................12 Figure 5.8 ....................................................................................................................................................................13 The Comparative Size of US Military Assistance and Commercial Arms Sales to the Arab-Israeli Ring States: 1986- 2001.............................................................................................................................................................................13 Figure 5.9 ....................................................................................................................................................................41