Bahrain Defence Force
None
Bahrain Defence Force | |
---|---|
قوة دفاع البحرين | |
Founded | 1968 |
Service branches |
Royal Bahraini Army
Royal Bahrain Naval Force Royal Bahraini Air Force Royal Guard Bahrain Royal Medical Services |
Website |
www
|
Leadership | |
Supreme Commander | Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa |
Deputy Supreme Commander | Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa |
Commander-in-chief | Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa |
Minister for Defence Affairs | Abdulla bin Hasan Al Nuaimi |
Chief of Staff | Theyab bin Saqer Al Noaimi |
Personnel | |
Active personnel | 18,400 (approximate) |
Expenditures | |
Budget | $1.317 billion (2021) |
Percent of GDP | 3.4% (2021) |
Related articles | |
Ranks | Military ranks of Bahrain |
Military of Bahrain |
---|
Member State of the Arab League |
---|
Judiciary |
|
Administrative divisions (governorates) |
Related topics
|
Bahrain portal |
The Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) is the military force of the Kingdom of Bahrain . The Bahrain Defence Force is under direct command and leadership of a commander-in-chief who holds the rank of field marshal . The Government has a Minister of Defence Affairs responsible of BDF representation in the Cabinet.
It numbers about 18,000 personnel [1] and consists of the Royal Bahraini Air Force , Royal Bahraini Army , Royal Bahraini Navy and the Royal Guard . Apart from the BDF, the public security forces and the Coast Guard report to the Ministry of Interior .
In January 2008, the Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was appointed as the Deputy Supreme Commander, [2] while Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the BDF. [3] BDF's Chief of Staff is Lieutenant General Theyab bin Saqer Al Noaimi .
GCC support
Bahrain, in conjunction with its GCC partners has moved to upgrade its defenses in response to the threat posed by the Iran-Iraq and Persian Gulf wars .
In 1982, the GCC gave Bahrain $1.7 billion to help improve its defenses. Bahrain's defense spending since 1999 has been steady. The government spends around $320 million annually on their military.
U.S. support
After the Gulf War , Bahrain received additional military support from the United States , including the sale of 54 M60A3 tanks , 12 F-16C/D aircraft , and 14 Cobra helicopters . Joint naval, air and military exercises also have been planned and executed to increase readiness throughout the Persian Gulf. Bahrain and the United States signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement in October 1991, granting U.S. forces access to Bahraini facilities and ensuring the right to pre-position material for future crises. In 2003, George W. Bush designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally of the United States . Since 2003, Bahrain has been granted over $100 million in Foreign Military Funding to pay for various high-profile weapons systems, to include an AN/TPS-59 (v)3B Early Warning Radar, Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM), Air-to-Air Missile Avoidance System for the King's Plane ( Boeing 747-400 ), as well as an Avenger Air Defense Vehicle .
Commanders-in-Chief of the BDF
# | Name | Picture | Took office | Left office |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | 1969 | 1999 | |
2 | Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | 1999 | 2008 | |
3 | Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa | 2008 | Incumbent | |
See also
References
-
↑
"Bahrain"
.
The 2011 US Department of State
Background Notes
.
United States Department of State
. Retrieved
2 March
2012
.
The Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) numbers about 113,000 personnel.
- ↑ "Royal Decree No 1 of the Year 2008 on the Appointment of the Deputy Supreme Commander" . Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Bahrain . 6 January 2008. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012.
- ↑ "Royal Decree No 2 of the Year 2008 on the Appointment of the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force" . Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Bahrain . 6 January 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2012.
External links
- Official site
- Background Note: Bahrain - Defense U.S. Department of State
Militaries of the
Arab world
|
|
---|---|
Sovereign states | |
States with limited recognition | |
Autonomous regional armed forces | |
Non-state actors | |
italic
- country that sometimes recognized as part of Arab world
|
Security forces of
Bahrain
|
|
---|---|
Bahrain Defence Force | |
Ministry of Interior (MOI) | |
Multilateral (GCC) | |
Other |