The Syrian Revolution Military Exhibition opened this week at the Damascus Fairgrounds with an emphasis on the locally designed and manufactured equipment that has shaped the 14-year conflict. Organizers said the event aims to introduce visitors to defense systems developed under difficult conditions, alongside training programs, documentary materials and tributes to fallen personnel. The exhibition runs through the 10th of the month and remains open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Visitors walking through the pavilions encountered armored vehicle models, weapons manufactured over the past decade and displays that show battle damage from operations against the Assad regime. The Al-Fatah armored vehicle appeared publicly for the first time, presented alongside engineering notes and photographs that trace its development.
Visitors Reflect on Local Innovation
For many attendees, the scale of domestic production emerged as the most striking feature. Basim Hamid told Levant24 that what initially looked like a traditional weapons exhibition quickly revealed a deeper story. “The underlying truth is that most of it is locally manufactured,” he said. “Any piece you see, you might think it is imported, but when it says locally manufactured, it is truly mind-boggling.”
He noted that drone technology dominated much of the floor space and said the advancement of Syrian-made systems surprised him. He added that visitors should understand the incremental process behind each weapon, explaining that mistakes in early versions pushed teams to refine components, sometimes down to what he described as “a very small, very sensitive angle.”
Hassan Ibrahim, another visitor, viewed the exhibition as evidence of determination and adaptation. “The amount of development and skill our youth have shown, may God bless them, whether it is with RPGs, homemade weapons, the Shaheen, drones and all that, honestly, it really captured my imagination,” he told L24.
Media, Training and Commemoration
Hamza Bayrakdar from the Ministry of Defense’s Media and Communication Department highlighted what he described to SANA as the role of military media in documenting battles and countering misinformation. He said over 150 members of military media personnel had been killed during the conflict and that the exhibition includes material honoring them.
Training also plays a central part in the event. Colonel Muhammad al-Nimr said his pavilion focuses on curriculum developed during the revolution and on shooting simulators that help fighters understand weapon characteristics in practical settings.
In another section, specialist officer Muhammad al-Ubaid discussed the impact of sniper units, which he said achieved notable results during the conflict. The exhibition also includes a memorial corner. Committee member Hayal al-Aboud said it features 34 portraits of fighters and a mosaic made from about 8,000 images of those killed while supporting the revolution’s aims.
