Royal Bahraini Naval Force
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The Royal Bahrain Naval Force (Template:Langx, abbreviated RBNF), also called the Royal Bahraini Navy,[1] is the maritime branch of the Bahrain Defence Force. The RBNF consists of 700 personnel, 35 ships, and two helicopters. The fleet includes two frigates, the former U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry-class.[2]
The RBNF received the frigate RBNS Sabha from the U.S., arriving in Bahrain on 9 July 1997.[1] 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.[3]
History
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.[4] 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.[1]
Bahrain deployed RBNS Sabha with U.S. ships during the invasion of Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom.[5]
Fleet
Ships
| Type/Class | Quantity | Origin | In service | Details |
| Frigate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate (Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and RBNS Khalid bin Ali) | 2 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | 1997–present | 4 Harpoon SSMs, 1 MBB BO-105 shipboard helicopter, and SM-1MR SAMs.[6] |
| Corvette | ||||
| Al-Manama class Lürssen FPB 62 Guided-Missile Corvette Combatants | 2 | File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany | 1988–present | 4 MM40 Exocets.[6][7] Being upgraded with new weapon control system.[8] |
| Offshore patrol vessel | ||||
| River-class Offshore Patrol Vessel - Modified Batch 1b (RBNS Al-Zubara) | 1 | File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom | 2020 - Present | ex-HMS Clyde (P257).[9][10][11] |
| Patrol craft | ||||
| Cyclone-class patrol ship | 5 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | 2022–present | [12] |
| Ahmed Al Fateh class Lürssen TNC 45 Guided-Missile Patrol Craft | 4 | File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany | 1984–present | 4 MM40 Exocets.[6] Being upgraded with new weapon control system.[8] |
| Al Riffa class Lürssen FPB 38 Patrol Craft | 2 | File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany | 1982–present | [6] |
| Al Jarim Swiftships 65 Patrol Boat | 2 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | 1982–present | [6] |
| Swiftships 35 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV35s) | 2 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | 2021 | [13] |
| Mark V Special Operations Craft | 7 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | 5 during 2018–19 | [13] |
| Vigor Response-Boat Mediums (RB-M) | 2 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | 2019 | [14] |
| BMT Group 18m patrol boat | 6 | File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom | 2013–present | Built in Turkey, option for 6 more.[15] |
| Wasp-11 | 2 | |||
| Wasp-20 | 2 | |||
| Wasp-30 | 1 | |||
| VT Group VT-Halmatic 20 | 4 | File:Flag of Qatar.svg Qatar | ||
| VT Group VT-Halmatic 160 | 6 | File:Flag of Qatar.svg Qatar | ||
| Fairey Marine Swordsman | 4 | File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom | ||
| Amphibious warfare ship | ||||
| Al Hamra class ADSB Steel Landing Craft | 4 | File:Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates | 2009+ | 2 42-meter and 2 16-meter. |
| LCU-1466 | 4 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | ||
| Fairey Marine LCU | 1 | File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom | ||
| Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company Landing craft | 1 | File:Flag of Bahrain.svg Bahrain | 2016 | 34.5m in overall length.[16] 1 more could be ordered. |
Aircraft
| Type | Quantity | Origin | In service | Details |
| Helicopter | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo 105CBS-4 | 2 | File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany | The naval force operates a squadron of two Bo 105CBS-4 helicopters.[2][18] | |
Missiles & Torpedoes
| Type | Quantity | Origin | In service | Details |
| Missiles & Torpedoes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exocet MM-40 | 67 | File:Flag of France.svg France | Delivered between 1984 and 2010. | |
| Harpoon | 8 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | Delivered 1997–1998. | |
| RIM-66 Standard | 22 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | RIM-66B Standard-1MR delivered 1997. | |
| Mark 46 torpedo | 18 | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | Mk-46 Mod-5 NEARTIP delivered 1997. | |
Ranks
- Officer ranks
- Enlisted and NCO ranks
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Future
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.[19] 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.[20]
Bahrain has ordered 6 Vigor RB-M Fast Interceptor boats.[21] 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.[22][23]
Bahrain Eyes French-Origin Egypt-Built Gowind Corvettes[24]
Bases
- 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
References
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- ↑ a b c Royal Bahraini Naval Force. Bahrain Defense Force. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ ‘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.
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- ↑ World Air Forces 2021. Flightglobal.com.
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External links
- Haze Gray Bahrain NavyScript error: No such module "Unsubst".
- INSS Bahrain Navy
- 掲示板 インターネット日韓文化交流 - KJCLUB - KJLAND: Photos of surface vessels of the RBNF Template:In lang
Template:Bahrain security forces
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