Armed Forces of the United Arab Republic

The Armed Forces of the United Arab Republic (Arabic: القوات المسلحة للجمهورية العربية المتحدة) was the official designation of the military of the United Arab Republic, a union made up of the territories of Egypt and Syria. After the union was announced on 22 February 1958, the Syrian Army was called the First Army,[1] and the Egyptian Army was named the Second Army. It was dissolved after Syria withdrew from the union after a coup d'état took place on 28 September 1961. However, Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser continued using the designation.

Armed Forces of the United Arab Republic
القوات المسلحة للجمهورية العربية المتحدة
Army flag

Naval ensign


Air force ensign
Founded22 February 1958
Disbanded5 October 1961
Service branchesArmy
Air force
Navy
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefGamal Abdel Nasser
Minister of WarAbdel Hakim Amer
Chief of StaffMohamed Ibrahim Selim
Commander of the First ArmyJamal al-Faisal
Personnel
Active personnel1,500,000
Reserve personnel1,500,000
Industry
Foreign suppliers Soviet Union
 East Germany
 Cuba
 Yugoslavia
Related articles
HistoryAir engagement on 4 November 1959
Rotem Crisis
Fedayeen operations

Syria

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The First Field Army was a designation used during the period of the United Arab Republic. It was based in Syria.[2] During the period of the United Arab Republic, army forces based in Syria was designated the First, and the other army in Egypt the Second (and possibly Third). By 1973 any use of the 'First' designation in Syria had ended, but this did not stop erroneous Western press reporting that forces of the Central Military Region around Cairo were designated the First Army.[3]

References

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  1. Central Intelligence Agency, 'Central Intelligence Bulletin,' 11 October 1958, accessed at https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CENTRAL%20INTELLIGENCE%20BULL%5B15777415%5D.pdf, October 2021.
  2. Central Intelligence Agency, 'Central Intelligence Bulletin,' 11 October 1958, accessed at https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CENTRAL%20INTELLIGENCE%20BULL%5B15777415%5D.pdf, October 2021.
  3. Trevor N. Dupuy, Elusive Victory, 402.
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