(Zaman Al Wasl)- Zaman al-Wasl obtained exclusive reports leaked by group of army officers, who still in duty showing how the corruption has swept the Syrian navy.
Since the established of Syrian navy in 1950, no role has been remembered as its role in bombing the Syrian people over the last seven years. Even during the 1973 Arab–Israeli War in 1973, the navy participation was so restricted. On the contrary, the Israeli Navy sank five Syrian naval ships without a loss during the Battle of Latakia. As a result, the Syrian Navy remained in port the rest of the conflict.
Corruption and Nepotism
In 1996, the last Syrian submarine was sold as scrap to Assad's uncle Mohamed Makhlouf who gained a fortune of it.
In 1961, the Syrian regime received three Romeo 633 submarines and Romeo 613 cargo submarine from Russia.
The old-fashioned submarines were all out of service by mid nineties as Russia said these submarines were no longer safe for diving. At the time, the naval forces did not sent the submarine back to Russia to reconstruct as Egypt did with its submarines.
The order of 'dispense' was issued by then Minister of Defense, General Mustafa Tlass. (Circular No. 245/1993)
Two Romeo 633 submarines were sold as scrap in an auction. Assad's uncle General Makhlouf won the auction
for $141,000 (6 million Syrian pound) such a cheap price followed preventing Syrian businessmen from entering the auction.
The weight of each submarine is 1850 tons (3700 tons for two submarines) 3.700.000 kg. Each kg equaled 6 Syrian pounds (14 cent). The total profit of Makhlouf was $518,000 in addition to 10 kg of white mercury and two large diesel engines with huge capacity. Makklouf won the auction for just $120,000.
Later on, the 'white mercury' had been stolen from the office of Colonel Ali Baso in the Navy 56th Brigade. The case is still ambiguous ever since.
For the last two decades, Makhlouf family has become the economic arm of the Assad's family. Makhloufs have dominated Syria's auctions, deals and tenders.
Financial analysts say Bashar's cousin, Rami Makhlouf, has lessen the burden of the seven-year-old war and the International blockade on the Syrian regime.
In 1996, Commander of the Syrian Navy tried to ease the inner-circle critics over 'Makhlouf profits' by delivering the other two out-of-service submarines to the Armored Vehicle Base northeast of Damascus to get use of its scrap. Such a move produced another corruption cell where most of the submarines' scrap was stolen and disappeared.
Iran's scrap ships sold to Assad
The corrupted deal of the Iranian ships has brought an additional burden to the Syrian naval forces, by purchasing bad warfare gear which are not fit to engage in hostilities.
Reports of Ship-based missile launchers (group 722) reveal their characteristics and their leaders.
Problems:
According to the sources, the regime's navy contracted with Iran to purchase six "Ter" boats with two tubes made to launch the "Noor C-802", received in 2010, and placed in the "Al-Mina al-Baida " in Lattakia. Until 2018 these boats had been suffering from several technical problems to put these ships out of readiness. These ships are considered to be the only new equipment in the system of marine missile boats, the sources summarize the problems of these ships as follows:
1 - the technical inadequacy of the radar, due to the malfunctions in the device the rotary compass, located in the back of the boat.
2 - Boat artillery is not technically ready (and is still disabled despite several attempts to repair it).
3 - Disfunction of the boats’ navigation equipment, due to a major defect in the rotary compass at the back of the boat (4 boats’ navigation devices are disabled).
4 – Only one boat technically ready 100% was sent to the port of “Tartus” to carry out maritime duty there. (See picture below).
The description of the group 722 Dual missile ships:
The system is very interested in this group, considered as the most recent group of boats owned by the Navy. In this context, the sources reveal the names of the officers in charge of the naval crews:
• Commander of the group 722 - Colonel Suhail Dakar.
• Chief of Staff - Colonel Essam Makhlouf .
• Signal Officer - Captain Sumer Yaghi.
• Commander of the First Squadron and Commander of the First Squadron, Commander of the First Squadron and Commander of the Second Boat - Capt. Sumer Asaad.
• Commander of the Second Squadron and the Third Boat: Major Raed Blul.
• Commander of the Fourth Boat: had been moved.
The Technical Specifications of the ships:
Length 21.9 meters
• Width of 4.6 meters
• Submersible 1.2 m
• After loading the rockets becomes 2.2 meters
• Number of main engines 3 motors
• Engine capacity is 8800 hp per engine
• Speed 50 knots per hour
• It is routed on 40 knots
• Operating range of 25 nautical miles
The arming of the boat includes two Iranian-made "Noor" rockets, a Dushka 12.7 submachine gun at the back of the boat. The boat also has two chemical, communication and radar systems to detect and deal with targets.
The Specifications of the "Noor" missile:
• Length is 6.4 meters
• Diameter 36 cm
• Weight 715 kg
• Warhead weight 165 kg
• Speed 0.9 Mac
• The altitude of the flight is 3-5 meters at the final stage
• The range is 120 km.
Self-steering At the initial launch stage and in the final stage, the missile radar is activated to determine the target, moreover the main advantage of the missile is its maneuverability in the final stage and its low level of 3-5 m makes it difficult to detect and destroy it.
Zaman Al Wasl
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