Lebanese Armed Forces
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| Lebanese Armed Forces |
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 Lebanese Armed Forces Emblem |
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| Founded | August 1, 1945 - Present |
| Service branches | Lebanese Army, Lebanese Navy, Lebanese Air Force |
| Headquarters | LAF Command, Yarzeh |
| Leadership | |
| Chief of staff | Michel Sulaiman |
| Military age | 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service |
| Conscription | no conscription |
| Available for military service |
1,106,879 males, age 15–49, 1,122,595 females, age 15–49 |
| Fit for military service |
934,828 males, age 15–49, 948,327 females, age 15–49 |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | $0.744 billion |
| Percent of GDP | 3.1% |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers | USA, France, United Kingdom |
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)' (Arabic: القوات المسلحة اللبنانية al-Quwa'at al-Musalha al-Lubna'ani.ya) is the military of the Republic of Lebanon.
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[edit] General overview
The Lebanese Armed Forces' primary missions include: defending Lebanon and its citizens against aggression, confronting threats against the country's vital interests, maintaining internal stability and security, engaging in social development activities and undertaking relief operations in coordination with public and humanitarian institutions.
The LAF consists of about 72,100 active personnel[1] with the Ground Forces consisting of about 70,000 troops, the Air Force consisting of about 1,100 personnel and another 1,000 in the Navy.
All three branches are operated and coordinated by LAF Command, which is located in Yarzeh, just east of the capital, Beirut. The country has six military colleges and schools. Some cadets are sent to other countries to receive additional training.
The equipment of the LAF is outdated due to a lack of funds, political bickering and until recently the presence of foreign forces. After the conclusion of the Lebanese Civil War, the LAF decided to repair as much of its equipment as it could, while being aided by modest donations from other nations. About 85% of the LAF's equipment is US-made with the remaining being British, French, and Soviet-made.
[edit] Branches
[edit] Lebanese Ground Forces
The Lebanese Army is made up of:
- 5 Regional Commands
- 11 Mechanized brigades
- 2 Artillery regiments
- 1 Commando regiment
- 5 Special Forces regiments
- 1 Airborne regiment
- 1 Navy Commando regiment
- Republican Guard brigade
- Medical Services
- Support brigade
- Logistics brigade
- Military police
- Independent work regiment
| Standard Issue Infantry Weaponry | M16, CAR-15, M4 Carbine, AKMS, AK-74, MP-5, G3 rifle, FN P90 | |
| Infantry Weapons | M40 (rifle), RPG-7, M65 Rocketlauncher, M2 Browning machine gun, M40 recoilless rifle, Shmel, various mortars | |
| Main Battle Tank | T-54/T-55, M48A1/A5, Leopard 1(A5/ 43 ex-Belgian with 2008 delivieries). | 310 |
| Armoured Personnel Carriers | M113A1/A2, M578 Recovery vehicle, Panhard M-3, VAB, Cadillac Gage Commando, Chaimite, AMX-VCI | 1660+ |
| Armoured Fighting Vehicles | AMX-13, Saladin, Ferret, AML-90, Staghound, AIFV (AIFV-B-C25 to be delivered), Al-Fahd Infantry fighting vehicle | 760 |
| Towed Artillery | M101 howitzer (105 mm), M102 howitzer (105 mm), D-30 howitzer (122 mm), M-30 howitzer (122 mm), M-46 gun (130 mm), M114A1 howitzer (155 mm), M198 howitzer (155 mm), Model 50 howitzer (155 mm), 2A36 152mm gun | 147 |
| Anti-Aircraft Weaponry | M42 Duster, ZU-23 (23 mm), Strela-2 (SA-7A/B GRAIL) | 30+ |
| Anti-Tank Guided Missiles | ENTAC, MILAN, BGM-71 TOW, AT-3, AT-14 | 70 |
| Artillery Rocket Systems | BM-21, BM-11, RM-70 | 76 |
| Vehicles | Land Rover Defender 90, M151 MUTT jeep, CUCV, HMMWV 'Humvee', AIL M-325 Commandcar, M35A3, DAF YA-4442 | 3600+ |
As of March 2008, The Netherlands has donated several of its military vehicles to the Lebanese Army. [2]
Poland has also promised to send military aid to Lebanon with a promise to deliver by March 2008 $12 million in ammunition, including some for the LAF’s Soviet-built T-54/55 tanks, 130mm guns, 120mm mortars and multiple-rocket launchers, the military official said. Whether the shipment was delayed or arrived in Lebanon in March 2008 is unknown.
The last confirmed deal is a Belgian promise to sell 43 Leopard 1 tanks and 16 AIFV armored infantry fighting vehicles and 12 M-113 APC's to Beirut is expected to become reality soon, now that a government needed to endorse the deal has formed in Brussels.
[edit] Lebanese Navy
The Lebanese Navy is responsible for protecting Lebanon's waters, protecting ports, and fighting illegal smuggling of goods.
The structure of the navy is centralised around the Navy Command, then it branches off into the quarter-general of the Navy, the Department of Naval Equipment Stores, the Naval School, Beirut Naval Base and the Jounieh Naval Base.
| Combat Support Boats | British Made | 27 |
| Landing Crafts | EDIC-class (French Made) | 2 |
| Patrol Boats | TRACKER-Class, ATTACKER-Class | 7 |
| Fast Patrol Boats | Ex-German 34-meter Amchit (ex-Bremen 2), Fassmer FFPB 20 20-meter Nakoura (ex-Bremen 9) | 2 |
| CSB Bridge Boats | U.S Made | 7 |
[edit] Lebanese Air Force
The Lebanese Air Force is the air force branch of the Lebanese Armed Forces. It currently has a large number of helicopters including the UH-1H Bell Huey, Gazelle, and various others. The air force is currently in the process of restoring its jet capabilities and considering the purchase of a small number of fighters or jet trainers.
[edit] Lebanese Special Forces
The Lebanese Special Forces are the elite of the Lebanese army, those who enroll are subjected to rigorous training regimes and must be in peak physical and mental condition prior to their ascension to such a highly desired position. Each branch of the Armed Forces consist of their own form of Special Forces or Commandos. These include:
- 1 Navy Commando regiment
- 1 Commando regiment (Also known as the Maghaweer)
- 1 Airborne regiment
- 5 Special Forces regiments
To ensure the effectiveness of such an elite force, many Commandos are sent overseas to nations such as the US, UK and France to receive extra training in specialised areas that the Lebanese Armed Forces are unable to provide, due to a lack of resources. While training in Lebanon, each Commando is instructed in the art of urban and guerrilla warfare. So rigorous is their domestic training regime that each commando is subjected to a training timetable consisting of 20 hours per day for 3 months, which is divided into different stages. Each stage consists of a specialised form of warfare and its associated tactics. Such tactics include: sabotage, sniping, extraction and covert operations. Lebanese Commando snipers are also considered some of the deadliest in the world.
[edit] Conscription
Lebanon previously had mandatory military service of one year for men. On May 4, 2005, a new conscription system was adopted, making for a six-month service, and pledging to end conscription within two years. As of February 10, 2007 mandatory military service no longer exists in Lebanon thus making it a conscription-free all-volunteer force. [3]
[edit] History
[edit] Lebanese Civil War
[edit] Dinnieh fighting
During December 1999-January 2000 a shadowy Islamic group launched a failed uprising against the Lebanese authorities in the Dinnieh district. During eight days of fighting in the snow-blanketed mountains east of the northern port of Tripoli, 14 soldiers and 25 rebels were killed.[4]
[edit] 2006 Lebanon War
In this conflict the Lebanon army did not engage the Israeli Army despite Israel bombing several Lebanese military bases; though it had threatened it would retaliate if Israeli forces pushed too far northward into Lebanon. While providing aid to civilians, Lebanese troops helped to uphold order in city streets, directed refugees to safer areas, and assisted with overlooking damage done by Israeli attacks. On several occasions, Lebanese troops fired anti-air weapons at Israeli aircraft, but no damage was documented. Overall, 49 Lebanese soldiers were killed.
After the July war the LAF deployed south of the Litani River for the first time since 1968 to enforce Security Council Resolution 1701. The LAF says it will not disarm Hezbollah by force. On February 7 2007, the Lebanese army fired at an Israeli Bulldozer that moved close to the border and crossed it, Israel fired back, there was no casualty reports, the UNIFIL stationed in the south described the shootout as a "serious incident".
[edit] 2007 North Lebanon conflict
The 2007 Lebanon conflict began when fighting broke out between Fatah al-Islam, a militant organization, and the Lebanese Armed Forces on May 20, 2007 in Nahr al-Bared, a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. It has been the most severe internal fighting since Lebanon's 1975–90 civil war. The conflict evolved mostly around the Siege of Nahr el-Bared. There was heavy use of the Lebanese artillery in that area to eliminate snipers posted around the cities. The conflict finally ended on September 2, 2007 with the Lebanese Army taking control of the camp after more than three months of heavy fights and a death toll of 155 Commandos and Infantrymen. The LAF Engineering Corps achieved what was seen as a feat of ingenuity during the conflict where they converted a number of UH-1 helicopters into bombers, arming them with 250kg and 400kg conventional bombs from old Hunter and Mirage III fighter jets. Some helicopters were also fitted with French Matra rocket pods. This was, according to observers, a decisive step that considerably shortened the conflict. [5]
[edit] 2008 fighting in Lebanon
During the week-long clashes that occurred at the beginning of the month of May 2008 in Lebanon, the army was unable to prevent rival Lebanese groups from fighting each other because this would have resulted in a division of the military along sectarian lines, something that happened during the civil war. However, when fighting stops in an area, the LAF deploys there to enforce peace. On May 13, the Army threatened that if fighting did not end by next morning, it will intervene and use force if necessary to stop the clashes.
[edit] See also
- Internal Security Forces
- General Security Directorate (Lebanon)
- United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
[edit] References
- ^ "Lebanese Armed Forces, CSIS (Page 12)", 2006-10-21.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2], Lebanese Army (official website)
- ^ http://www.meib.org/articles/0109_l1.htm
- ^ Lebanon army takes control of camp after battle, Reuters
[edit] External links
- Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)
- Lebanon Military Guide from GlobalSecurity.org
- [3]
- Lebanese Army Pictures in Nahr al Bared
- [4]
- Lebanon army trying to rearm and modernize itself
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