President Raul Castro hosted the parade, which also marked 50 years since his brother Fidel proclaimed the socialist character of the Cuban revolution.

Raul Castro, the former head of Cuba's armed forces before taking over the presidency from his brother Fidel, donned military fatigues for the occasion. He looked on with other dignitaries from a dais, waving and saluting the troops. There was no sign of Fidel Castro.

The parade opened with a brief speech by Maydel Gomez, president of the Federation of University Students, who said "young people will not fail to continue to support the socialist revolution."

The first part of the parade was a "symbolic journey" throughout the Cuban military history, including a "Mambi" cavalry with 128 riders and a replica of the Granma yacht in which Fidel Castro and his followers arrived in Cuba in 1956.

That was followed by a review of 6,000 soldiers and a display of military vehicles, including armored vehicles, tanks, ground artillery, fighter jets, helicopters and air defense equipment.

The parade concluded with tens of thousands of young people "representing the new generations of Cubans and their commitment to the revolution led by Fidel Castro."

The parade was held before the Sixth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba started Saturday afternoon. The congress was expected to set new political and economic goals for the island country.