Click to see full-size image. (Syrian Ministry of Defense)
Syria has managed to bring back at least one of its Soviet-made Su-22 fighter bombers to service, according to videos posted to social networks on June 15.
The videos showed the jet, painted in dark green, flying over the central city of Homs, in what appears to be a test flight.
The Su-22 reportedly took off from Shayrat Air Base in the eastern countryside of Homs. The bulk of the now-dissolved Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) fleet of Su-22s was based there throughout the war. The SyAAF reportedly had some 50 Su-22s from different versions when the war first broke out in 2011.
By the time the regime of former president Bashar al-Assad collapsed late in 2024 only a few dozen were still operational.
Shortly after the fall of the regime, Israel launched hundreds of strikes with the aim to destroy all of Syria’s combat capabilities in a large-scale aerial attack dubbed “Operation Arrow of Bashan.” At least one squadron of Su-22 was destroyed in the strikes, with Hebrew media reporting early on in the operation that the SyAAF lost just over 60 percent of its capabilities.
Later it became clear, however, that the SyAAF lost much more, and the new Islamist-led Interim Government began efforts to rebuild its aerial capabilities as the Syrian Air Force (SyAF).
It was in an early promotional video of the SyAF that it was revealed that at least one Su-22, specifically a Su-22UM-4K twin seater painted in dark green, had survived. The jet was seen just taxing in the footage, a sign that it was not fully operational. Still, that Su-22UM-4K is certainly the same jet seen flying over Homs, which means that the SyAF was able to fix whatever issues it had.
The Su-22, which first entered service in the 1960s, is mainly used for close air support and ground attack missions. The Su-22UM-4K is, however, first and foremost, a trainer version.
There is no evidence of any other Su-22 surviving the Israeli strikes that followed the fall of the Assad regime, but it won’t be surprising if one or two others did.
Currently, the SyAF is just operating a number of Czech-made L-39 training jets. A small fleet of helicopters, including Soviet-made Mi-8/17 and Mi-24, as well as French-made Aérospatiale Gazelle, also remains operational, but many of them were put in service with other branches of the new Syrian military.
Bringing the Su-22UM-4K will add nothing meaningful to the capabilities of the SyAF, and the step was likely made just for promotional purposes.
All in all, the decision not to allow former SyAAF staff to join the new air force, the lack of meaningful funds, the absence of any solid international relations, and the threat posed by Israel will likely leave Syria without any meaningful air force for the long term.
This will of course play in favor of both Israel and Turkey, as it will grant them freedom of operations over the country.
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