Weapons of the Syrian War

Pentagon Declares Strike Successful. Here’s A Look at What Went Into It

U.S., French, and British planes and ships used a wide variety of precision weapons to hit Syrian chemical weapons facilities. Some saw their first day of combat.

  • Patrick Tucker

Weapons of the Syrian War: Overview

From chlorine gas to Kalashnikovs, barrel bombs to cruise missiles, the Syrian conflict shows what 21st-century militaries and armed groups can bring to bear.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Small Arms

Small arms were already plentiful in Syria before the war, thanks to years of Soviet and Russian support. More flooded in after the conflict began.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Tanks

In April 2011, the appearance of heavy armor indicated that a violent crackdown had become a full-fledged war.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Artillery

Government forces have howitzers, rocket launchers, even SCUD missiles. Rebels have responded with the improvised weapons called Hell Cannons.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Airpower (Syrian)

The Syrian military began the war with more than 500 aircraft, almost all Russian-made jets, transport planes, and helicopters.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Airpower (Non-Syrian)

By May 2016, the counter-ISIS coalition had dropped more than 41,500 bombs, leading the Pentagon to borrow from stockpiles in other regions.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Cruise Missiles

In this conflict, cruise missiles have largely functioned to remind the world that both the U.S. and Russian militaries have them.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Suicide Bombers

The tactic is often used in offensive operations, just after an artillery barrage and before the advance of hundreds of foot soldiers.

  • Ben Watson

Weapons of the Syrian War: Advisors

Many governments have dispatched troops, trainers, and advisors to the Syrian warzone to help out their favored combatants.

  • Ben Watson