Syrian Pilot's Defection Highlights Regime's Challenges

A Syrian MiG-21 fighter jet landed at the King Hussein Air Base in Mafraq, northwest Jordan, near the border with Syria at 11 a.m. June 21, according to reports. Opposition activists immediately said the pilot, identified by Al Arabiya news channel as Hassan Mari Hamada, had defected. Syrian state TV, however, reported only that communication was lost with a MiG-21 around the same time.

One pilot's defection is unlikely to destroy government confidence in the service as a whole. Defections have become common in the Syrian military, though not as common in the air force as in other branches of service. But there is symbolic value in the purported defection because of the regime's historical ties to the air force. As a result, distrust of the mostly Sunni pilot cadre will grow, and the government may turn to foreign pilots — with possible assistance from Russia — as an alternative, more reliable option.