Naval warfare branch of Bahrain's military
Military unit
The
Royal Bahraini Naval Force
(
Arabic
:
?????? ??????? ??????? ?????????
, abbreviated
RBNF
), also called the
Royal Bahraini Navy
,
[2]
is the maritime branch of the
Bahrain Defence Force
. The RBNF consists of 700 personnel, 35 ships, and two helicopters. The fleet includes one frigate, the former U.S.
Oliver Hazard Perry
-class
RBNS
Sabha
.
[3]
The RBNF received the frigate
Sabha
from the U.S., arriving in Bahrain on 9 July 1997.
[2]
On 18 January 2024, a second
Oliver Hazard Perry
-class frigate,
RBNS
Khalid bin Ali
, reached Bahrain after being transferred from the
U.S. Navy
.
[4]
History
[
edit
]
The United States and Bahrain signed an agreement on 23 December 1971 that allowed the U.S. Navy's Middle East Force to use the former British naval facilities in the country after they were given over to the
Government of Bahrain
by the United Kingdom.
[5]
Bahrain's first warship entered the Royal Bahraini Naval Force on 20 March 1979, and it acquired the frigate
RBNS
Sabha
on 9 July 1997.
[2]
Bahrain deployed RBNS
Sabha
with U.S. ships during the
invasion of Iraq
and
Operation Enduring Freedom
.
[6]
Fleet
[
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]
Ships
[
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]
Aircraft
[
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]
Type
|
Quantity
|
Origin
|
In service
|
Details
|
Helicopter
|
Bo 105CBS-4
|
2
|
Germany
|
|
The naval force operates a squadron of two Bo 105CBS-4 helicopters.
[3]
[19]
|
Missiles & Torpedoes
[
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]
Ranks
[
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]
- Officer ranks
- Enlisted and NCO ranks
Rank group
|
Senior NCOs
|
Junior NCOs
|
Enlisted
|
Royal Bahrain Naval Force
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No insignia
|
???? ???
Raqib 'awal
|
????
Raqib
|
????
Earif
|
???? ???
Jundiun awwal
|
????
Jundiun
????
|
Future
[
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]
Sep. 8, 2017 - The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain for two 35 Meter Fast Patrol Boats. The estimated cost is $60.25 million.
[20]
Now in service.
In 2019, Bahrain has purchased another frigate from the US, the
USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49)
which will join the fleet after completion of current refurbishment works.
[21]
Bahrain has ordered 6 Vigor RB-M Fast Interceptor boats.
[22]
3+ now in service.
1 Hamilton class cutter acquired from the United States in 2020 and 5 Cyclone patrol ships also acquired from the United States in 2022.
[23]
[24]
Bahrain Eyes French-Origin Egypt-Built Gowind Corvettes
[25]
Bases
[
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]
- Mina Salman Naval Base
is a facility currently shared with the
United States Navy
and is used as a ship and submarine logistic support base for the entire
US Fifth Fleet
. It was opened in the 1980s as cargo facility and is now solely used as a naval port.
- Manama Naval Base
is another key US Navy installation and formerly home to HMS Juffair. It is not used by RBNF.
- RBNF also operates a shipyard that is shared with several other neighbouring countries.
See also
[
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]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Commander-in-Chief receives newly appointed Royal Bahrain Naval Force Commander
. Bahrain News Agency. Published 23 March 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^
a
b
c
Royal Bahraini Naval Force
. Bahrain Defense Force. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^
a
b
IISS
(2023).
The Military Balance 2023
. pp. 318?319.
- ^
‘RBNS Khalid bin Ali’ ship arrives in Bahrain; joins RBNF
. Bahrain News Agency. Published 18 January 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^
United States Congress (1972).
U.S. Interests in and Policy Toward the Persian Gulf
. U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^
Katzman, Kenneth (2010).
Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy
. Diane Publishing Company. p. 6.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Wertheim, Eric (2007).
The Naval Institute guide to combat fleets of the world : their ships, aircraft, and systems
(15th ed.). Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. pp. 37?38.
ISBN
9781591149552
.
- ^
"The Naval Balance of Power: The Persian Gulf"
. Archived from
the original
on 30 October 2012.
- ^
a
b
"Leonardo delivers first upgraded Al Manama ship to Royal Bahrain Naval Force"
. Navyrecognition.com. 24 January 2018
. Retrieved
23 May
2020
.
- ^
W, Steve (7 August 2020).
"Bahrain receives patrol warship "RBNS Al-Zubara"
"
.
Bahrain News Agency
. (WHQ)
. Retrieved
7 August
2020
.
- ^
W, Steve (8 August 2020).
"HMS Clyde sold to Bahrain"
.
UK Defence Journal
. (George Allison)
. Retrieved
8 August
2020
.
- ^
"
"RBNS Al-Zubara" arrives in Bahrain"
.
Bahrain News Agency
. (WHQ). 26 November 2020
. Retrieved
4 May
2021
.
- ^
Binnie, Jeremy (4 April 2022).
"Bahrain commissions ex-US patrol ships"
.
Janes
. Retrieved
29 March
2023
.
- ^
a
b
"Bahrain commissions new naval vessels"
.
- ^
"Vigor Bahrain RB-M - BIDEC - Bahrain's Premier International Tri-Service Defence Show"
.
- ^
"BMT Partners with Ares Shipyard to Deliver Patrol Boats for Bahrain Coast Guard"
.
Navyrecognition.com
. Retrieved
5 August
2018
.
- ^
"ASRY construct new landing craft"
.
Newsofbahrain.com
. Retrieved
5 August
2018
.
- ^
"Swiftships Shipbuilders"
.
Swiftships Shipbuilders
.
- ^
World Air Forces 2021
. Flightglobal.com.
- ^
"Bahrain ? 35 Meter Fast Patrol Boats - The Official Home of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency"
.
Dsca.mil
. Retrieved
5 August
2018
.
- ^
"CBO: Navy frigate sale to Bahrain has $80M price tag"
.
Insidedefense.com
. 13 July 2018
. Retrieved
5 August
2018
.
- ^
"NAVDEX 2019 : Vigor showcases its Vigor Fast Interceptor"
. Navyrecognition.com. 18 February 2019
. Retrieved
23 May
2020
.
- ^
"52-Year-Old Coast Guard Cutter Heads to Bahrain for Second Career"
.
- ^
"Bahrain commissions ex-US patrol ships"
.
- ^
"Bahrain Eyes French-Origin Egypt-Built Gowind Corvettes"
.
External links
[
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]