Threat Assesment:
The Syrian Arab Republic Navy

The Syrian Arab Republic Navy is based out of ports at Al Mina al Badya, Baniyas and Latakia, with the principal base located in Tartus. The SAR/N has about 3,700 active members and a further 2,500 in reserve. In comparison, the Israeli Navy has 6,000 active personnel and 500 in reserve. Not only do the Israelis rely on more modern and capable ships, but the quality of the Israeli Navy has historically been much higher than the SAR/N.

A Syrian Osa II-class Rocket Cutter

The Syrian Navy's backbone is made up of eight Russian Osa II-class Rocket Cutters. Additional assets include four Osa Is, five vessels of the Komar class, and various patrol and torpedo craft. Of these, the two Petya II class anti-submarine vessels are the most modern. The Syrians also make use of two Romeo class submarines, although these may not be operational. Airborne assets consist of fourKamov Ka-28 Helix-Aand twenty Mi-14PLHaze-A anti-submarine helicopters.

Apair of Komar missile boats

The Syrian Rocket Cutters (Osa I, Osa II, and Komar classes) are armed with an updated version of the SS-N-2 Styx missile that was so easily evaded during the 1973 YomKippur War. The range on the newer Styx missile is between 30 and 40 nm, which is greater than the range of the Israeli Gabriel but much lower than the 80 nm range of the US-made Harpoon missiles in use with the Israelis. Thus, the Israeli ships can strike the Syrians at two times the range that the Syrians would be able to mount an effective attack.

The Syrian navy would be best suited to engage in dispersed attacks to which the Israelis would be forced to respond to attacks from many directions. The Israeli Navy is just too strong for the Syrians to try any other way. The Syrians would be best suited to using 'guerilla' tactics to get the jump on the Israelis. Otherwise, the superior range of the Israeli missiles and more advanced radars on the Israeli ships would simply overpower the Syrian fleet. Whatever the case, in the event of a war between the Israel and Syria, most of the combat (certainly the fiercest)would be seen on the volcanic plateau of the Golan Heights and not on the glassy waters of the Eastern Mediterranean.