Arab-Israeli Military Forces in an Era of Asymmetric Wars

Anthony H. Cordesman

• Publisher: Praeger
• Year: 2006
• Print ISBN: 9780275991869
• eBook ISBN: 9780313083624
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

The reality of the Arab-Israeli balance now consists of two subordinate balances: Israel versus Syria and Israel versus the Palestinians. The book analyzes these two balances in detail and their impact on defense planning in each country and on the overall strategic risk to the region as a whole. It covers military developments in each of six states-Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine-and provides an analytical view with charts and tables of how the changing natures of the military and political threats faced by each is impacting its military force readiness and development. The book has the most comprehensive data on past, current, and future military force structure currently available, drawn from the widest range of sources. Responding to the most recent of events in the region, this book is the first to deal with the effects on the Arab-Israeli military balance of the strategic uncertainty created by the Iraqi insurgency and the Iranian nuclear program. It also studies how the Gaza pullout, the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, the changing political landscape in Israel, and the threat of nuclear proliferation are having impacts on the Egyptian-Israeli and Jordanian-Israeli peace accords and the prospects for a settlement between the Palestinians and Israelis. The roles of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are analyzed in light of the changing political landscape in both Israel and Palestine. Given the role of Syria in the Palestinian-Israeli affairs, the book also explores the ways that internal instability in Lebanon could escalate into a regional conflict.

Table of contents

• Contents
• ILLUSTRATIONS
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• 1. INTRODUCTION
• 2. MAJOR TRENDS IN FORCE STRENGTH
• 3. TOTAL RESOURCES: RECAPITALIZATION, FORCE MODERNIZATION, AND IMPACT ON EFFECTIVENESS
• 4. THE MILITARY FORCES OF ISRAEL
• 5. THE MILITARY FORCES OF EGYPT
• 6. THE MILITARY FORCES OF JORDAN
• 7. THE MILITARY FORCES OF LEBANON
• 8. THE MILITARY FORCES OF PALESTINE
• 9. THE MILITARY FORCES OF SYRIA
• 10. AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE
• NOTES
• MAP 1.1: THE ARAB-ISRAELI RING STATES
• FIGURE 2.1: THE ARAB-ISRAELI BALANCE: FORCES IN THE ARAB-ISRAELI "RING" STATES IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.2: ISRAEL VS. EGYPT, SYRIA, JORDAN, AND LEBANON IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.3: ISRAELI VS. SYRIAN OPERATIONAL FORCE STRENGTH IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.4: SYRIAN-ISRAELI ARMS AGREEMENTS AND DELIVERIES: 1993–2004
• FIGURE 2.5: ARAB-ISRAELI BORDERS
• FIGURE 2.6: TOTAL ARAB-ISRAELI ACTIVE MILITARY MANPOWER: 1973–2006
• FIGURE 2.7: ARAB ACTIVE VS. ISRAELI MOBILIZED ARMY MANPOWER: 1973–2005
• FIGURE 2.8: ARAB ACTIVE VS. ISRAELI MOBILIZED ARMY MANPOWER: 1973–2003
• FIGURE 2.9: ARAB-ISRAELI LAND FORCE MANPOWER IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.10: ARAB-ISRAELI ARMORED FORCES IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.11: ISRAEL VS. EGYPT, SYRIA, JORDAN, AND LEBANON: OPERATIONAL TANKS BY TYPE 2006
• FIGURE 2.12: ISRAEL VS. EGYPT, SYRIA, JORDAN, AND LEBANON: HIGH-QUALITY TANKS BY TYPE 2006
• FIGURE 2.13: ARAB-ISRAELI OTHER ARMORED FIGHTING VEHICLES (LIGHT TANKS, AFVS, APCS, SCOUTS, RECCE, OAFVS): 1973–2005
• FIGURE 2.14: ISRAEL VS. EGYPT, SYRIA, JORDAN, AND LEBANON: "TRUE AFVS" 2006
• FIGURE 2.15: OPERATIONAL ARAB-ISRAELI ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.16: ARAB-ISRAELI ARTILLERY FORCES BY CATEGORY OF WEAPON IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.17: ISRAEL VS. EGYPT, SYRIA, JORDAN, AND LEBANON: HIGH PERFORMANCE
• FIGURE 2.18: ARAB-ISRAELI SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY BY CALIBER IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.19: ARAB-ISRAELI MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHERS BY CALIBER IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.20: ARAB-ISRAELI AIR FORCE AND AIR DEFENSE MANPOWER IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.21: TRENDS IN TOTAL ARAB-ISRAELI COMBAT AIRCRAFT: 1973–2006
• FIGURE 2.22: TOTAL OPERATIONAL ARAB-ISRAELI COMBAT FIGHTER, ATTACK, BOMBER BY TYPE IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.23: HIGH-QUALITY OPERATIONAL ARAB-ISRAELI COMBAT AIRCRAFT IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.24: UNARMED FIXED AND ROTARY WING (RECCE), ELECTRONIC
• FIGURE 2.25: OPERATIONAL ARAB-ISRAELI ATTACK AND ARMED HELICOPTERS IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.26: ARAB-ISRAELI LAND-BASED AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS IN 2005
• FIGURE 2.27: ARAB-ISRAELI NAVAL MANPOWER IN 2006
• FIGURE 2.28: ARAB-ISRAELI MAJOR COMBAT SHIPS BY CATEGORY IN 2005
• FIGURE 2.29: OTHER ARAB-ISRAELI NAVAL CAPABILITIES IN 2006
• FIGURE 3.1: ESTIMATE OF MILITARY SPENDING AND MANPOWER TRENDS: 1985–2000
• FIGURE 3.2: NATIONAL TRENDS IN ARAB-ISRAELI MILITARY SPENDING IN CONSTANT DOLLARS: THE DECLINE IN ARAB FORCES AS A SHARE OF TOTAL SPENDING: 1985–1999
• FIGURE 3.3: ARAB-ISRAELI MILITARY EXPENDITURES BY COUNTRY: 1997–2005
• FIGURE 3.4: TREND IN PERCENT OF GNP SPENT ON MILITARY FORCES: 1983–1999: HALF THE BURDEN OF THE EARLY 1980S
• FIGURE 3.5: NATIONAL TRENDS IN ARAB-ISRAELI ARMS DELIVERIES IN CONSTANT DOLLARS
• FIGURE 3.6: ARAB-ISRAELI NEW ARMS AGREEMENTS AND DELIVERIES BY COUNTRY: 1993–2004
• FIGURE 3.7: ARAB-ISRAELI ARMS ORDERS BY SUPPLIER COUNTRY: 1993–2004
• FIGURE 3.8: THE COMPARATIVE SIZE OF U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE AND COMMERCIAL ARMS SALES TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI RING STATES: 1986–1996
• FIGURE 3.9: THE COMPARATIVE SIZE OF U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE AND COMMERCIAL ARMS SALES TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI RING STATES: 1997–2004
• FIGURE 4.1: PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS: TOTAL POPULATION IN ISRAEL, THE GAZA STRIP, THE WEST BANK, AND GREATER JERUSALEM: 1950–2050
• MAP 4.1: ISRAEL
• MAP 4.2: ROUTES FOR THE ISRAELI SECURITY BARRIER
• MAP 4.3: THE GAZA STRIP
• FIGURE 4.2: ISRAELI MILITARY: MANPOWER AND FORCE STRUCTURE TRENDS: 1990–2006
• FIGURE 4.3: RECENT ISRAELI ARMS SALES
• FIGURE 4.4: ISRAELI ARMY FORCES: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 4.5: ISRAELI AIR FORCE: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 4.6: ISRAELI AIR DEFENSE FORCE: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 4.7: ISRAELI NAVY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 4.8: ISRAEL'S SEARCH FOR WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
• FIGURE 5.1: EGYPTIAN MILITARY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 5.2: RECENT EGYPTIAN ARMS TRANSFERS
• MAP 5.1: EGYPT
• FIGURE 5.3: EGYPTIAN ARMY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 5.4: EGYPTIAN AIR FORCE: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 5.5: EGYPTIAN AIR DEFENSE COMMAND: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 5.6: EGYPTIAN NAVY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 5.7: EGYPTIAN PARAMILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 5.8: EGYPT'S SEARCH FOR WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
• MAP 5.2: EGYPT: SINAI PENINSULA
• FIGURE 6.1: JORDANIAN MILITARY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 6.2: THE JORDANIAN RECAPITALIZATION CRISIS: PART ONE—ARMS DELIVERIES DURING 1985–1999
• FIGURE 6.3: THE JORDANIAN RECAPITALIZATION CRISIS: PART TWO
• MAP 6.1: JORDAN
• FIGURE 6.4: JORDANIAN ARMY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 6.5: JORDANIAN AIR FORCE: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 6.6: JORDANIAN NAVY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 6.7: JORDANIAN PARAMILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES: FORCE STRUCTURE
• MAP 6.2: THE JORDAN RIVER VALLEY AND HEIGHTS
• FIGURE 7.1: LEBANESE MILITARY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 7.2: RECENT LEBANESE ARMS SALES
• MAP 7.1: LEBANON
• FIGURE 7.3: LEBANESE ARMY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 7.4: LEBANESE AIR FORCE: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 7.5: LEBANESE NAVY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 7.6: LEBANESE PARAMILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 7.7: DEVELOPMENTS IN HEZBOLLAH MILITARY FORCES IN LEBANON IN 2004–2006
• FIGURE 8.1: CIA PROFILE OF THE GAZA STRIP AND THE WEST BANK—PART ONE
• FIGURE 8.2: CIA PROFILE OF THE GAZA STRIP AND THE WEST BANK—PART TWO
• FIGURE 8.3: MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY STRENGTH OF KEY PALESTINIAN FACTIONS AND HEZBOLLAH AT THE START OF THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE WAR
• FIGURE 8.4: CURRENT PALESTINIAN AND LEBANESE FORCES
• FIGURE 8.5: PALESTINIAN PUBLIC OPINION ON THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, FATAH, AND HAMAS
• FIGURE 9.1: SYRIAN FORCES: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 9.2: THE SYRIAN RECAPITALIZATION CRISIS: PART ONE
• FIGURE 9.3: THE SYRIAN RECAPITALIZATION CRISIS: PART TWO
• MAP 9.1: SYRIA
• FIGURE 9.4: SYRIAN ARMY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 9.5: SYRIAN AIR FORCE: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 9.6: SYRIAN AIR DEFENSE COMMAND: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 9.7: SYRIAN NAVY: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 9.8: SYRIAN PARAMILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES: FORCE STRUCTURE
• FIGURE 9.9: SYRIA'S SEARCH FOR WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
• MAP 9.2: THE GOLAN