Nasser’s Forces Doubled

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31378, 25 May 1967, Page 13

Nasser’s Forces Doubled

(N.Z.P.A.-Reut«r— Copyright) LONDON, May 24. The United Arab Republic has almost doubled its military strength since the 1956 Suez war.

At the time of the Israeli invasion on October 29, 1956, the armed forces of President Nasser’s regime were estimated at about 100,090 men, plus 50,000 National

Guardsmen. Now Nasser’s armed forces are estimated at about 190,000 regulars equipped with far more sophisticated weapons than they had 10 years ago. Israel also has greatly increased both her armed forces and weapons, mainly with French military aid. She now has 71,000 regular troops and 200.000 reserves. In 1956 Israel at full mobilisation could raise fewer than 250,000 troops equipped with planes, tanks, and naval vessels many of them now outdated. Unlike Egypt, the Israeli Army includes women soldiers. Unmarried women between the ages of 18 and 26 must serve for 20 months, with exceptions made only on religious or educational grounds. They serve in a non-combat-ant role.

Israeli men between the ages of 18 and 26 serve for 26 months and those between 27 and 29 for the same period if they had been deferred earlier.

During the Suez crisis, Egypt had 572 tanks—some British, others made in France or the Soviet Union. The Egyptian Air Force then consisted of 220 fighter and bomber aircraft including 80 British-built Vampires and Meteors, 90 Soviet MiGls*s and 50 Ilyushin 28 bombers.

This air force was virtually wiped out by Anglo-French intervention in the Suez fight-

ing before the United Nations cease-fire in early November, 1956.

The Egyptian Navy at the time had only two destroyers, seven frigates, two corvettes, eight minesweepers, two motor torpedo boats, three motor launches and about two dozen landing craft. Naval personnel totalled 5000.

Now President Nasser has an army bf 160,000—about 50,000 of them in the Yemen —an air force of 15,000, a navy of 11,000 and a separate missile force of 4500 men equipped with 100 missiles.

Backing up this regular force are 120,000 National Guardsmen and organised reserve units.

Egypt has 500 operational aircraft These include two squadrons of Soviet-built MiG2l interceptors 52 planes in all, posibly armed with air-to-air missiles.

She also has four squadrons of MIGI9 fighters and many other aircraft of less modern design.

Egyptian naval strength is estimated at 11,000 men equipped with modern submarines and destroyers, as well as the smaller vessels which survived the 1956 fighting.

Israel’s navy now totals a force of 3000 aboard submarines, destroyers, and other vessels.

Its air force totals 450 planes, mainly French-built, including some of the latest Super Mystere fighterbombers.

The latest, but unofficial, assesment of the military strength of the countries now opposed in the Arab-Israeli crisis is:

(Aircraft figures not including transport, reconnaisance etc.)

Men Tanks Aircraft Strike Interceptor Egypt . 190,000 1000 70+ 300+ Syria .. 81,000 350 4 100 Iraq .. 82,000 320 12 75 Jordan .. 65,000 130 —- 12 Lebanon .. 11,000 3 5 Saudi Arabia .. 55.000 6 12 Israel . 275,000 800 120+ 100+