List of equipment of the Lebanese Armed Forces explained

Lebanese Armed Forces equipment still contains significant amounts of old weaponry, but it has embarked on some major improvements recently. The M113, which is commonly found with every regiment and brigade, is considered to be the major element of the ground forces. A collection of Western and Soviet made arms and equipment exists ranging from rifles to tanks such as the T-54/55. However, the Lebanese army is still trying to rearm and modernize itself through new aids and purchases from different countries such as the United States, Belgium, Russia, and The Netherlands.

Rearming and modernization

The LAF has been attempting to modernize and equip itself since 2005. Due to the budget limits, and instead of spawning an indigenous arms industry the LAF is relying on donations and friendly priced equipment.

The United States has been supplying the Lebanese Armed Forces with light to medium arms since 2005, in the form of a package of more than US$1.2 billion-worth of equipment that is still being executed. Among these supplies are HMMWV, M-35/A3, Mk 19 grenade launcher, M141 Bunker Defeat Munition, TOW 2, HELLFIRE 2, AT4, and Barrett M107 .50 Cal. sniper. The US has promised to supply Lebanon with M2A2 ODS and M109A5. In addition, the US supplied Lebanon with 12 RQ-11 Raven small hand-launched UAVs, 12 M-109A3 and 183 additional M198 Howitzers from 2008 to 2016 making the total to 219,^[1] and promised to deliver all water patrol boats and more utility, and attack helicopters.

On April 20, 2015, the Lebanese army took delivery of 48 MBDA Milan short-range anti-tank missiles as part of the $3 billion package donated by Saudi Arabia.

On February 19, 2016, The army chief expressed in an interview to Al-Akhbar newspaper the status of the Military aid to Lebanon and said: There are contributions from many countries, but they remain symbolic. The US still the largest armament supplier. Later on the same day the Saudi Arabia press agency quoted on a Saudi official, that Saudi Arabia halted the $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon.

Equipment

Pistols

Brand	Origin	Versions	Photos	Notes
Browning Hi-Power^[2]				Standard-issue for military and police
Glock	Austria	Glock 17, Glock 18		In Use with Special Forces.
Beretta 92	Italy			Limited use.
P-64 CZAK				In Reserve.

Assault rifles

Brand	Origin	Versions	Photos	Notes
M4 carbine^[3] ^[4]		SOPMOD		Standard-issue rifle of all intervention regiments and special forces units.
M16 rifle^[5] ^[6]		A1, A2, A4		Standard-issue rifle, in total 70000 A4 are being received all deliveries will be made by the year 2021 to replace the remaining A1 variant
Close Quarters Battle Receiver		MK18		Used by the Navy Commandos to replace the MP5. Lebanese Special Units operate the CQBR.
AKM				Replaced by the M16 and M4. Used by reserve.
AK-74		AKS-74,AKS-74U, AK-74M		Limited usage.
FAMAS		F1		Limited usage,In use with some Special Forces Squads.
Heckler & Koch G3		G3A3			The G3 is only used for cadet training.
SIG SG 540				Most were transferred to Lebanese Internal Security Forces
Daewoo Precision Industries K2		K2		Limited usage.

Sniper rifles

Brand	Origin	Versions	Photos
Barrett M82
M24
Steyr SSG 69	Austria

Machine guns

Brand	Origin	Versions	Photos
M249
MK-46
M240		M240L
M60 machine gun
M2 Browning		M2HB
M1919 Browning		M1919A4
DShK		DShKM
PK machine gun
Rheinmetall MG 3
FN MAG
FN Minimi

SMGs and Shotguns

Brand	Origin	Type	Photos
Heckler & Koch MP5		Submachine gun
OTs-02 Kiparis		Submachine gun
FN P90^[7]		Personal defense weapon
Franchi SPAS-12	Italy	Combat shotgun
Mossberg 500		Riot / Combat shotgun

Rocket/Grenade launchers

Brand	Origin	Versions	Photos
M203
M72 LAW
M141 Bunker Defeat Munition
MK-153 SMAW^[8]
RPG-7
AT4

Vehicle mounted artillery

Artillery	Type	Origin	Photo
	Recoilless rifle (113 units)
MK 19	Grenade launcher

Anti-tank missiles

Artillery	Type	Origin	Photo
BGM-71 TOW	Anti tank version tandem warhead TOW-2A, wireless TOW, and bunker buster version BGM-71H
M712 Copperhead	Laser-guided artillery shell
MILAN	MILAN 1 MILAN 2
HOT^[9]	HOT II

Anti-aircraft Weapons/Vehicles

Artillery	Type	Origin	Quantity	Photo
9K32 Strela-2	Surface-to-air missile
ZU-23-2	Anti-aircraft gun
ZPU	Anti-aircraft gun

Helmets

Brand	Origin	Type	Photos	Notes
ECH		Combat helmet		Standard issue helmet of the Lebanese army replaced the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops in 2018
PASGT		Combat helmet		Former Standard issue helmet for the Lebanese army replaced by the Enhanced Combat Helmet in 2018
MICH / ACH		Combat helmet		Used by the Lebanese Special Operations Command and some other units
Ops-Core FAST Helmet		Combat helmet		Main users are the Lebanese Special Operations Command and the intervention regiments also seen used by conventional brigades
Modèle 1978 helmet		Combat helmet		Limited use

Optics

Brand	Origin	Type	Photos
		Holographic weapon sight
		Aimpoint
		Telescopic sight

Night vision equipment

Brand	Origin	Type	Photos
		Night-vision device
AN/PVS-7		Night-vision device
AN/PEQ-2		IR laser and illumination

Unarmoured vehicles

Model	Versions	Origin	In service	Notes	Pictures
Humvee	M998/M1025/M1046/M1035		+1500
M54 5-ton 6x6 truck	Cargo
M151 MUTT	A2			In limited use
CUCV	M1008/M1009/M1010 Ambulance/M1028/M880/M882/M883/M885/M886 Ambulance			In limited use
M35 series 2½-ton 6×6 cargo truck	Cargo/Transport
DAF YA 4440/4442	Cargo transport
	Humanitarian relief, troop and Cargo transport		100 .^[10]
Polaris Ranger 500 4×4	All-terrain vehicle
Land Rover Defender 90	Cargo/Transport
Mercedes-Benz 250 GD "Wolf"	Ambulance		20
Volkswagen Transporter (T5)	Transport
KamAZ-4310	Cargo transport		100~
Iveco Trakker	cargo transport			seen during the military parade in Beirut 2017
Iveco Daily	Homeland security			used by internal security forces
Toyota Land Cruiser	Transport
Kawasaki	Brute Force 750 4×4i

Tanks

Model	Versions	Origin	In service	Pictures	Note
M60	A3		56		Delivery in 2009 4 M60A3 TTS and 6 M60A3 IFCS ref. Lebanese Army magazine issue of December 2009 issue number 294.
M48	A5PI		81		Delivery in 1984 of a total number of 106. Used by the 5th Infantry brigade and the 1st Armoured regiment which brings the total number to 81
T-54/55	T-55A, T-54B, T-54A, T-54-3, T-54-2		270		In 1988 Iraq delivered an unknown number of T-54/55, around 50 from militias after the civil war, 30 T-55 delivered from Libya after the civil war, 180 delivered in 1993 from Syria. Used by 10 Infantry brigades which brings the total to 270 tanks in use, some are retired.

Armored personnel carrier

Model	Versions	Origin	In service	Notes	Photos
M1151			259	+300 TBD
M113	A2, A3, M577		1,275	Many armed with BGM-71 TOW, ZPU and ZU-23-2;some are captured from Israeli army in 2006 Lebanon War and 1982 Lebanon War
VAB	VTT		100	Used also by the military police
Iveco LMV	LBTP		45	Lebanon bought 25 Iveco LMV in 2014 and 20 Iveco LBTP in 2015
VBTP	MR	/	10	10 units (initial order) Unveiled to the public in 2017.
			5	5 vehicles delivered from Italy (4x4 chassis variant from Iveco DV)
TM-170			10

Armored fighting vehicle

Model	Versions	Origin	In service	Notes	Photos
Bradley Fighting Vehicle	M2A2 ODS		32
AIFV-B-C25			16	16 ex-Belgian AIFV-B-C25 vehicles.
VAB	Mephisto ATGM		35	Equipped with HOT II missiles
Panhard AML			45

Artillery

Artillery	Versions	Origin	In service	Photos
M109A3	155 mm		84
M198	155 mm		219
M114A1	155 mm		20
M101A1	105 mm		15
M102	105 mm		10
D-30	122 mm		42
M-30	122 mm		33
M-46 gun	130 mm		25
2A36 Giatsint-B	152 mm		10+
BM-21 Grad	122 mm		30

Other vehicle

Artillery	Versions	Origin	In service	Photos
M88 Recovery Vehicle	A1----A2		35----2
M578 Light Recovery Vehicle			31
Caterpillar D9	D9N		2
M992 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicle	A2		10/28 TBD
Oshkosh M1070			8

Logistics and engineering equipment

• Minecat 230 Minesweeper^[11]
• Armtrac 100 Minesweeper
• Armtrac 75 Minesweeper^[12]
• Bozena Minesweeper
• Mini MineWolf
• Bulldozers (Armored and Non-armored)
• M52
• M813, M816 Wrecker, M818
• M543 Wrecker
• M49A2 Fuel tank truck
• Ural 4320 Crane
• M915
• Volvo NL10/NL12
• GMC TopKick
• Hino Trucks
• Jeep Wagoneer Signal truck
• Autoneige Snow Trac
• Thomas Built Buses
• Nissan Buses

Military simulation

• Janus,^{[13] [14] [15]} Engagement Skills Trainer 2000,^[16]
• TOW anti-tank simulators,
• Milan anti-tank simulators
• Huey Helicopter flight simulator

Recent supplies

• The United Kingdom donated 1.2 million euros worth of armored vehicle parts on May 2023.^[17]
• Lebanese Army received 3 Huey 2 helicopters from the US on February-2021^[18]
• Lebanese Army received VAB and Hot missiles and other equipment from France on May 30-2017
• Lebanon received 12 M109 155mm self-propelled howitzer from Jordan in March 2015 and 400 Tow 2 by June 2015.
• Lebanon received 72 M-198 Howitzers from the United States on February 8, 2015, along with M1044 (Up-Armored HMMWV) vehicles donated by the US, as part of the aid for fighting terrorism.^[19]
• Lebanon received 120 Land Rover Defender 90 from the United Kingdom on December 10, 2013.^[20]
• Lebanon received 71 HMMWVs, M1038 Cargo/Troop Carrier, M1026 Armament Carrier w/ Basic Armor, M1044 Armament Carrier w/ Supplemental Armor, vehicles donated by the US on August 17, 2013^[21]
• During August 2013 France has enhanced the operational capacities of the Lebanese army by providing military equipment. The gift, includes bulletproof vests, optical equipment and HOT missiles for Gazelle Helicopter^[22]
• Lebanon received 31 M1151 (Up-Armored HMMWV) vehicles donated by the US on August 17, 2012
• Lebanon received 24 M1151 (Up-Armored HMMWV) vehicles donated by the US on July 22, 2011
• Lebanon received 106 vehicles donated by the UN in Lebanon on the Thirteenth of May 2011
• Lebanon received 30 M-198 Howitzers in January, 2010.^[23] This follows an earlier supply of 41 Howitzers in 2008, and 36 Howitzers operated by the LAF since the 80's.
• Lebanon received 16 AIFVs and 12 M-113 Ambulances early December 2009, these were purchased from Belgium.^[24]
• On May 22, Lebanon officially announced the delivery of the first 10 M60/A3, one M88, and several other items during a ceremony at Beirut International Airport.
• On March 23, 2009, the LAF took delivery of 40 HMMWVs, and 9 sport utility vehicles from the USA.^[25]
• On March 20, 2009, the LAF purchased 6 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 4×4i.^[26]
• On December 28, 2008, the USA delivered 72 HMMWVs were recently delivered, Twelve of these vehicles are ambulances.^[27]
• During 2008, the US supplied Lebanon with 200 M35A3 and 41 M198 Howitzers.^[28]
• As of March 2008, The Netherlands has donated 100 DAF trucks to the Lebanese Army.^[29]

See also

• List of former equipment of the Lebanese Armed Forces
• Weapons of the Lebanese Civil War
• Cedar rocket

Notes and References

1. News: Heavy U.S. Military Aid to Lebanon Arrives ahead of Elections . April 9, 2009 . Naharnet Newsdesk . dead . April 9, 2009 . November 30, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091130020435/http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/Lebanon/C4E6544B51A01293C2257593001BCF28?OpenDocument .
2. Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). .
3. Web site: Department of Defense to equip Lebanon's Special Forces with Small Arms, Vehicles . Christopher J. Castelli . 2009-02-08 . September 2008 . DISAM Journal . https://web.archive.org/web/20090327064024/http://www.disam.dsca.mil/pubs/Vol%2030_3/Castelli.pdf . 2009-03-27 . dead .
4. Web site: The 5.56 X 45mm: 2008 . The Gun Zone . 2009-01-27 . Daniel Watters . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100104174625/http://thegunzone.com/556dw-18.html . 2010-01-04 .
5. Web site: Report: Profiling the Small Arms Industry – World Policy Institute – Research Project . November 2000 . World Policy Institute . 2010-07-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171011093831/http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/smallarms.htm . 2017-10-11 . dead .
6. Book: McNab, Chris. 20th Century Military Uniforms . 2002 . 2nd . Grange Books . Kent . 1-84013-476-3.
7. Web site: Black-Masked Commandos Training By The Sea . Thomas Smith Jr., W. . October 10, 2007 . . September 18, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110714155842/http://tank.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Y2JhNDllZDU3OTkzZWNmOTFlNWQwYzI3ZGNlYTM0M2Q . July 14, 2011 .
8. Web site: Mk.153 SMAW Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher Military-Today.com . www.military-today.com . 26 July 2020 . 2 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200702200707/http://www.military-today.com/firearms/mk153_smaw.htm . live .
9. laf-digest.blogspot.com/2017/05/laf-receives-15-vab-hot-and-hundreds-of.html
10. Web site: Security assistance enterprise delivers to Lebanese troops . 2021-03-13 . 2021-03-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210310010531/https://www.theredstonerocket.com/military_scene/article_c0edc27e-7c3d-11eb-af5d-1f3129b7a5c7.html . live .
11. News: كاسحة الألغامالجيش يتسلم كاسحة ألغام هبة من حكومة النروج. August 2005. 2008-12-19. 2014-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115748/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=8730. live.
12. News: كاسحة الألغام "Armtrac" في تجربة تدليلية. April 2006. 2008-12-19. 2014-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115555/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=10647. live.
13. ar:افتتاح المشبّه التكتي. August 2006. http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=12481. Arabic. Lebanese Army Magazine. 2008-12-19. 2019-12-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20191213091415/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=12481. live.
14. ar:خبراء فرنسيون زاروا كلية فؤاد شهاب في مهمة حول المشبه التكتي. August 2006. http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=10650. Lebanese Army Magazine. Arabic. 2008-12-19. 2009-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20090120173028/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=10650. live.
15. ar:المشبّه التكتي. October 2005. Arabic. Lebanese Army Magazine. http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=8986. 2008-12-19. 2019-12-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20191213091421/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=8986. live.
16. News: Cubic to Provide Small-Arms Trainers to New International Customers. October 1, 2009. Newsroom. Cubic Corporation. dead. 31 January 2010. 2 February 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100202161619/http://www.cubic.com/corp1/news/pr/2009/press_release_10-1-09.html.
17. Web site: UK donates equipment to the Lebanese Army . 2024-03-04 . GOV.UK . en.
18. Web site: Lebanon: Army receives US-donated helicopters worth $32 million | the National . 14 February 2021 . 2021-02-15 . 2021-02-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210214142042/https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/lebanon/lebanon-army-receives-us-donated-helicopters-worth-32-million-1.1165953 . live .
19. Web site: The Handover ceremony of equipment presented as a donation from the US authorities to the Lebanese Army . 2015-02-10 . 2015-02-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150210113018/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/en/news/?43244#.VNnJ0k10zIU . live .
20. Web site: الجيش اللبناني يتسلّم مساعدات عسكرية بريطانية . 2013-12-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043916/http://sdarabia.com/preview_news.php?id=30764&cat=1 . 2016-03-04 . dead .
21. Web site: More New Comers to the LAF. August 17, 2013. milinme.wordpress. November 2, 2013. November 2, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131102045441/http://milinme.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/more-new-comers-to-the-laf-2/. live.
22. Web site: La France donne des équipements à l'armée libanaise - cérémonie à la base aérienne de Beyrouth. August 13, 2013. Ambassade de France à Beyrouth. December 6, 2013. January 5, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140105141033/http://www.ambafrance-lb.org/La-France-donne-des-equipements-a. live.
23. Web site: تسلّم مدافع وأعتدة وذخائر مختلفة. Lebanese Army News. Lebanese Army. 29 November 2010. 5 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101205014257/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=26449. live.
24. Web site: De Crem confirms the delivery of ex-Belgian AIFVs and M-113 Ambulances. January 6, 2010. Belgian House of Representatives. Dutch, English. January 31, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713194540/http://forums.lebanondefense.com/showthread.php?tid=566. July 13, 2011. dead.
25. News: U.S. Government Provides Tactical Vehicles to the Lebanese Armed Forces. March 25, 2009. Press releases 2009. Embassy of the United States - Lebanon. 2009-03-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20090823064940/http://lebanon.usembassy.gov/latest_embassy_news/09pressreleases/pr032509.html. August 23, 2009. dead.
26. News: Lebanese Army purchases Kawasaki ATVs from RYMCO. March 20, 2009. Rymco. dead. April 4, 2009. July 15, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110715220146/http://www.rymco.com/news_details.php?n_id=NjY.
27. News: U.S. Government Provides Humvees to the Lebanese Armed Forces. January 13, 2009. Press Releases 2009. Embassy of the United States - Beirut, Lebanon. 2009-01-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20090120175836/http://lebanon.usembassy.gov/latest_embassy_news/09pressreleases/prhumvee011309.html. January 20, 2009. dead.
28. News: U.S. Forces Help Lebanese Military Assert Control. Garamone. Jim. December 1, 2008. American Forces Press Service - DefenseLink News. 2008-12-10. 2009-11-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20091130080317/http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=52128. live.
29. News: http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=18170. Lebanese Armed Forces. ar:حفل تسلّم آليات عسكرية تقدمة من دولة هولندا. Arabic. May 2008. 2008-12-19. 2014-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826113902/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/article.asp?ln=ar&id=18170. live.