Conflict catalog

2017 Battle of Marawi: Weapons and Equipment

The 2017 2017 Battle of Marawi was a five-month urban battle in Mindanao between Philippine government forces and Islamic State-aligned militants including Maute and Abu Sayyaf elements.

The 2017 Battle of Marawi began on May 23, 2017, after Philippine security forces attempted to capture Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and IS-aligned militants seized parts of Marawi. Philippine government forces retook the city after a five-month urban battle that combined infantry clearing, armor, artillery, air support, surveillance, and combat engineering in dense terrain around the Agus River and Lake Lanao.

This catalog covers weapon systems documented in the 2017 2017 Battle of Marawi, a dense urban fight in the southern Philippines.

Entries emphasize directly sourced equipment roles, including artillery, armor, infantry weapons, air support, and improvised urban-combat adaptations when reliable sources identify the system.

35 weapon systems

Conflict Actors

Philippine government forces / IS-aligned militants

Philippine government forces

20 weapon systems in this catalog
  • Philippine government forces

Context

Status
Published catalog
Location
Marawi, Lanao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines
Countries
Philippines
Regions
Mindanao, Lanao del Sur, Marawi
Domains
land, air, UAV, urban warfare, counterterrorism

Marawi's equipment record is shaped by dense urban fighting, reinforced concrete structures, sniper threats, improvised militant defenses, direct-fire artillery, close air support, armor, drones, breaching, and infantry-led building clearance. Entries should identify the system and role directly because many sources describe broad categories such as 105 mm guns or armored vehicles without naming exact models.

Map

Marawi, Lanao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines

Open map

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Timeline

Key Events

  1. Security operation triggers urban seizure

    Fighting began after a Philippine operation to capture Isnilon Hapilon. IS-aligned Maute and Abu Sayyaf militants rapidly occupied parts of Marawi, turning the attempted raid into a city battle.

    Sources: Philippines: 2017 Battle of Marawi leaves trail of death and destruction, Marawi's ground zero beyond the naked eye

  2. Australia announces AP-3C surveillance support

    Australia said the Philippines accepted an offer of two AP-3C Orion aircraft to provide surveillance support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the counterterrorism fight in Marawi.

    Sources: Australian Defence Force Assistance to the Philippines

  3. United States delivers ISR aircraft

    The United States delivered two Cessna 208B Grand Caravan intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft to the Philippine Air Force amid the ongoing Marawi fighting.

    Sources: U.S. Delivers Two C-208B Aircraft to Philippine Air Force

  4. Marawi declared liberated

    President Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi liberated after the deaths of senior militant leaders, while final clearing and combat operations continued in remaining pockets.

    Sources: Marawi's ground zero beyond the naked eye

  5. Combat operations end

    Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced the termination of combat operations in Marawi, closing the five-month military offensive against the IS-inspired Maute group and allied militants.

    Sources: Marawi's ground zero beyond the naked eye

Phases

May 23, 2017 - Jun 30, 2017

Seizure and siege formation

IS-aligned militants seized urban positions, took hostages, and forced Philippine forces into a dense city fight where bridges, concrete buildings, civilian presence, and trapped noncombatants constrained firepower.

Jul 1, 2017 - Oct 16, 2017

Urban clearing and combined-arms adaptation

Philippine forces used small-team clearing, armor, engineers, artillery, close air support, and aerial surveillance to reduce militant-held areas while adapting from jungle counterinsurgency to room-to-room fighting.

Oct 17, 2017 - Oct 23, 2017

Leadership strike and final clearance

After senior militant leaders were killed and Marawi was declared liberated, government forces cleared the remaining pockets before announcing the end of combat operations.

External Support

The battle was fought by Philippine government forces against IS-aligned militants, but outside support shaped intelligence and surveillance context. Australia provided AP-3C Orion surveillance flights for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, while the United States delivered Cessna 208B ISR aircraft and said U.S. special operations forces assisted AFP commanders mainly through information, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support. These sources support external enabling context, not automatic inclusion of Australian or U.S. platforms as weapon entries unless a weapon page has direct conflict-use sourcing.

Images

Filipino soldiers in Marawi during the 2017 crisis.
Filipino soldiers involved in the Marawi crisis in June 2017.Philippines Information Agency / Wikimedia Commons | Public domainSource: Philippines Information Agency / Wikimedia Commons
A building burning in Marawi after an airstrike.
A Marawi building burns after Philippine Air Force airstrikes in June 2017.Mark Jhomel / Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0Source: Mark Jhomel / Wikimedia Commons
Local officials visiting Marawi's main battle area after the battle.
Local officials visit Marawi's Ground Zero, also known as the Main Battle Area, after the battle.Philippine Information Agency / Wikimedia Commons | Public domainSource: Philippine Information Agency / Wikimedia Commons

Weapons

2017 Battle of Marawi Weapon Systems

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

5/5
MG-520, Light attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsMG-520Light attack helicopterSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Close air support helicopterBuilt: McDonnell Douglas / United StatesThe MG-520, also known as the MD-520MG Defender, is a Philippine Air Force light attack helicopter derived from the MD 500E/Defender family. Its Philippine fit is documented with .50-caliber machine guns and seven-tube rocket pods, giving the 15th Strike Wing a compact close-air-support aircraft for counterinsurgency, the Zamboanga crisis, and the 2017 2017 Battle of Marawi.
AW-109, Light twin-engine attack and utility helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAW-109Light twin-engine attack and utility helicopterSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Close air support and armed reconnaissanceBuilt: AgustaWestland / Leonardo / ItalyThe AW-109 is a three-tonne light twin-engine helicopter family built by AgustaWestland and Leonardo. Armed and utility AW109 variants are documented in Philippine close-support and reconnaissance missions at Marawi and in Nigerian Air Force Operation Lafiya Dole mobility, patrol, evacuation, and support missions during the Boko Haram insurgency.
FA-50PH, Supersonic light combat aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsFA-50PHSupersonic light combat aircraftSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Urban airstrikes and close air supportBuilt: Korea Aerospace Industries / South KoreaThe FA-50PH is the Philippine Air Force export variant of Korea Aerospace Industries' T-50/FA-50 family, a South Korean supersonic light combat aircraft derived from the T-50 advanced trainer. Philippine service includes Marawi close-air-support sorties in 2017, a 2025 combat-support mission against suspected New People's Army guerrillas, and an upgrade program for the surviving first-batch aircraft.
SF-260, Trainer and light attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsSF-260Trainer and light attack aircraftSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Light attack close air supportBuilt: SIAI-Marchetti / Aermacchi / Leonardo / ItalyThe SF-260 is an Italian trainer and light attack aircraft designed by Stelio Frati and built by SIAI-Marchetti and later Aermacchi/Leonardo. Its conflict record ranges from Libyan-operated and Chadian-captured SF.260s in the Chadian-Libyan conflict to Sri Lankan close-air-support use, Chadian government ground attacks, and Philippine Air Force SF-260 attacks during Marawi.
OV-10 Bronco, Twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsOV-10 BroncoTwin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraftSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Close air support and bombing sortiesBuilt: North American Rockwell / United StatesThe OV-10 Bronco is a U.S.-designed twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft built around short-field counterinsurgency, forward air control, armed reconnaissance, and limited ground attack. It served with U.S. forces in Vietnam and Desert Storm, reappeared in a 2015 counter-ISIS light-attack trial, and remained useful to the Philippine Air Force at Marawi because it could deliver bombs in close support of troops fighting through dense urban terrain.

Category

Artillery

Tube artillery, rocket artillery, and long-range ground fires.

3/3
105 mm field guns, 105 mm towed field gun / howitzer class, ArtilleryArtillery105 mm field guns105 mm towed field gun / howitzer classSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Urban direct-fire breaching and fire supportBuilt: Various manufacturers / Multiple countries; representative M101-family production centered on the United StatesThe 105 mm field guns entry covers the model-unspecified 105 mm artillery used by Philippine government forces during the 2017 Battle of Marawi. Reliable Marawi studies describe Filipino gunners employing 105 mm guns in direct fire against reinforced concrete positions, an improvised urban fire-support role that helped infantry assaults when shoulder-fired breaching options were limited.
M101 105 mm Howitzer, 105 mm towed field howitzer, ArtilleryArtilleryM101 105 mm Howitzer105 mm towed field howitzerSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Direct-fire urban fire supportBuilt: Rock Island Arsenal / United StatesThe M101 is a U.S.-origin 105 mm towed field howitzer descended from the wartime M2A1, produced at Rock Island Arsenal and exported widely after U.S. service. Its split-trail carriage, semi-fixed 105 mm ammunition family, and later 33-caliber modernization packages kept the gun useful from 1955 Vietnam War fire bases to Philippine urban direct-fire missions and Lithuanian-donated M101A1 guns in Ukrainian service.
Mortars, Infantry and artillery mortar class, ArtilleryArtilleryMortarsInfantry and artillery mortar classSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Urban indirect-fire support for clearing operationsBuilt: Various manufacturers / Multiple countriesMortars are short-barreled, high-angle indirect-fire weapons used by infantry, artillery units, and armed groups for close support, harassment, and attacks on positions behind cover. The catalog entry treats mortars as a broad weapon class because the direct conflict sources usually document mortar use without identifying exact calibers or models, including Philippine government support fires at Marawi, Hezbollah fire at Mount Dov, jihadist attacks in Mali and Sinai, FARC dissident improvised mortars in Colombia, 2023 Sudan War battlefield use, and Cambodia-accused cross-border fire.

Category

Infantry Weapons

Portable weapons used by soldiers and small units.

8/21
Glock 21, .45 Auto semi-automatic pistol, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsGlock 21.45 Auto semi-automatic pistolSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Close-quarters sidearm for counterterrorism troopsBuilt: Glock Gesellschaft m.b.H. / AustriaThe Glock 21 is Glock's full-size .45 Auto service pistol family. The cataloged G21 SF reduces the receiver circumference for smaller hands, the Gen4 adds modular backstraps and a reversible magazine catch, and the Gen5 MOS adds optic mounting. In 2017, U.S. security assistance supplied 200 to Philippine Marines for Marawi.
AR-15-pattern rifle, 5.56 mm self-loading rifle platform, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAR-15-pattern rifle5.56 mm self-loading rifle platformSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Small-unit rifle armament in urban defenseBuilt: ArmaLite / Colt / Various manufacturers / United States and multiple countriesThe AR-15-pattern rifle is a lightweight, modular self-loading rifle family derived from the ArmaLite and Colt AR-15 lineage. Cataloged conflict evidence ranges from AR-type rifles captured from IS-aligned fighters in Marawi to U.S. and Ukrainian AR-style rifles supplied or fielded during the Russia-Ukraine War.
FN Minimi light machine gun, 5.56x45mm NATO light machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsFN Minimi light machine gun5.56x45mm NATO light machine gunSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Captured squad automatic weapon in militant arsenalBuilt: FN Herstal / FN America / Belgium / United StatesThe FN Minimi is a Belgian belt-fed light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale for squad automatic fire, with 5.56 mm NATO models widely fielded as national variants such as the U.S. M249, Canadian C9, and Australian F89. In the 2014 Yemen Civil War, Amnesty International reported Belgian Minimis deployed by The Giants Brigades, tying the weapon to UAE-backed coalition-aligned ground forces around the Hodeidah offensive.
FN FAL, 7.62 mm battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsFN FAL7.62 mm battle rifleSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Recovered militant battle rifleBuilt: FN Herstal / Various manufacturers / Belgium; licensed production in multiple countriesThe FN FAL is a Belgian 7.62 x 51 mm NATO battle rifle designed at Fabrique Nationale after World War II and adopted or license-produced across many Cold War armies. The cataloged record spans state service, licensed Commonwealth and Argentine derivatives, and later illicit or captured rifles documented in conflicts from the Falklands to Marawi, Boko Haram operations, Haiti, and the Islamic State fight.
M14, 7.62 mm battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsM147.62 mm battle rifleSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Recovered battle rifle and marksman weaponBuilt: Springfield Armory / Winchester / Harrington & Richardson / Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge / United StatesThe M14 is a U.S.-origin 7.62x51 mm NATO battle rifle developed from the M1 Garand lineage and fielded by U.S. and Marine Corps forces in Vietnam before later marksman variants kept the family in service. Direct conflict evidence in this entry ranges from Vietnam-era Marine small-unit use to M21 and M14 EBR employment in Iraq and Afghanistan and recovered insurgent rifles in Nigeria and Marawi.
M16 rifle, Assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsM16 rifleAssault rifleSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Urban infantry rifle and designated-marksman supportBuilt: Colt / United StatesThe M16 is a U.S.-origin 5.56x45mm assault-rifle family that evolved from 1955 Vietnam War service into the M16A1, M16A2 and M16A4 lineage. Current Army and FN references describe the M16A4 as a gas-operated, shoulder-fired, 20-inch-barrel rifle with rail and optics compatibility, while conflict-specific sources document continued use from Marawi and Afghanistan to Israeli wartime response teams, Iraqi partner-force training and Colombian FARC dissident seizures.
Browning Automatic Rifle, Automatic rifle / light machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsBrowning Automatic RifleAutomatic rifle / light machine gunSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Captured legacy automatic rifleBuilt: Winchester Repeating Arms / Colt / Marlin-Rockwell / United StatesThe Browning Automatic Rifle was a U.S. .30-06 automatic rifle designed by John M. Browning for mobile infantry fire and later used as a squad automatic weapon. Cataloged conflict evidence places legacy BARs in the 1955 Vietnam War through ARVN, Montagnard, and Viet Cong use, and in the 2017 Battle of Marawi as captured IS-aligned militant materiel.
13 remaining

Category

Munitions

Standalone missiles, bombs, rockets, torpedoes, and guided or unguided explosive payloads.

6/6
Mk 82 500-pound unguided bomb, Air-delivered 500-pound low-drag general-purpose bomb, MunitionsMunitionsMk 82 500-pound unguided bombAir-delivered 500-pound low-drag general-purpose bombSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Close air support bomb in urban airstrikesBuilt: General Dynamics / United StatesThe Mk 82 is the U.S. Mark 80-series 500-pound low-drag general-purpose bomb. Developed in the 1950s to reduce drag, it has been documented from Vietnam and Desert Storm through NATO's Kosovo air campaign, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Yemen, Gaza, and Marawi, and it remains important as both a free-fall bomb and the body for guided derivatives such as GBU-12 and GBU-38 JDAM.
Air-dropped bombs, Aircraft-delivered general-purpose bomb class, MunitionsMunitionsAir-dropped bombsAircraft-delivered general-purpose bomb classSide: Philippine government forcesRole: Close air support and urban strikeBuilt: Various manufacturers / VariousAir-dropped bombs are aircraft-delivered explosive munitions documented here as a conflict-use class when sources identify bombing runs but not a specific model. The entry covers Philippine Air Force bombing during the 2017 Battle of Marawi and Colombian government air operations against FARC dissident bases, while separating those conflict claims from representative Mk-series bomb-body background.
Molotov cocktails, Hand-thrown improvised incendiary weapon, MunitionsMunitionsMolotov cocktailsHand-thrown improvised incendiary weaponSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Close-range incendiary attacks against assaulting troopsBuilt: Improvised / Locally Fabricated / Varies by userMolotov cocktails are hand-thrown improvised incendiary weapons built around a breakable container and ignition source, but wartime examples range from ad hoc bottles to semi-standardized military incendiary grenades. The cataloged conflict record now spans U.S. Marine use during Fallujah house-clearing in the 2003 Iraq War, IS-aligned militant use against Philippine troops in Marawi, and Ukrainian volunteer production and distribution during the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion.
Improvised explosive device, Improvised explosive device, MunitionsMunitionsImprovised explosive deviceImprovised explosive deviceSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Urban booby traps and defensive explosive obstaclesBuilt: Local fabrication by armed groups / VariousImprovised explosive devices are field-built bombs assembled from commercial, homemade, or military components and triggers. The documented family spans roadside and pressure-plate bombs, vehicle-borne suicide devices, radio-controlled charges, water-borne attack craft, booby traps, and repurposed ordnance across insurgent, terrorist, and state use cases.
RPG high-explosive rounds, Unguided rocket-propelled grenade ammunition, MunitionsMunitionsRPG high-explosive roundsUnguided rocket-propelled grenade ammunitionSide: IS-aligned militantsRole: Recovered militant RPG explosive ammunitionBuilt: Various manufacturers, including Bulgarian producers VMZ Sopot and Arcus; Russian OG-7V examples are cataloged by Rosoboronexport / Russia / Bulgaria / other RPG ammunition-producing countriesRPG high-explosive rounds are unguided explosive or fragmentation projectiles fired from reusable rocket-propelled grenade launchers, especially RPG-7-family weapons. The Marawi recovery source identifies high-explosive RPG rounds but not the exact model, so this page treats the record as a family-level munition entry and uses OG-7V, OFG-7V, and similar RPG-7-compatible rounds as representative technical examples.

Conflict Sources

Conflict-level sources support chronology, geography, phase summaries, external surveillance support, broad equipment domains, and open-license image provenance. Weapon agents should still require direct system-specific 2017 Battle of Marawi sourcing before adding rifles, machine guns, aircraft, bombs, artillery, improvised weapons, or other systems because many sources identify broad categories without exact model names.

  • The 2017 Battle of Marawi: Lessons for Developing Urban CapabilitiesPublisher: Australian Army Research Centre | Note: Supports the urban-combat context, Philippine combined-arms adaptation, small-team clearing, close air support, armor, engineers, unmanned aerial surveillance, and 105 mm guns in a direct-fire role. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Philippines: 2017 Battle of Marawi leaves trail of death and destructionPublisher: Amnesty International | Note: Supports the belligerent framing, May-to-October 2017 period, IS-aligned militant involvement, and civilian-impact context. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Marawi's ground zero beyond the naked eyePublisher: Philippine Information Agency | Note: Supports the May 23, 2017 start date, October 23, 2017 end date, liberation and combat-operations chronology, main battle area context, and post-battle urban damage descriptions. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Australian Defence Force Assistance to the PhilippinesPublisher: Australian Department of Defence Ministers | Note: Supports Australian AP-3C Orion surveillance support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the fight against Daesh-inspired groups in Marawi. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • HMAS Adelaide hosts President Duterte in the PhilippinesPublisher: Australian Department of Defence | Note: Supports Australian AP-3C surveillance flights over the southern Philippines and continued Australian counterterrorism support during the Marawi battle. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • U.S. Delivers Two C-208B Aircraft to Philippine Air ForcePublisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Supports U.S. delivery of Cessna 208B ISR aircraft to the Philippine Air Force and U.S. information, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assistance to AFP commanders during Marawi operations. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Urban Warfare Case Study #8: 2017 Battle of MarawiPublisher: Modern War Institute at West Point | Note: Supports geography, urban terrain, bridge and river context, and the battle's May 23 to October 23, 2017 date range. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Marawi crisis troops 2.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for Filipino soldiers in the Marawi crisis; file page lists Philippines Information Agency authorship and public-domain status. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Bombing on Marawi City.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a Marawi airstrike image; file page lists Mark Jhomel as author and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Marawi Ground Zero.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for Marawi's Main Battle Area after the battle; file page lists Philippine Information Agency authorship and public-domain status under Philippine government-work rules. | Accessed: 2026-06-21