Royal Bahrain Naval Force
Naval warfare branch of Bahrain's military
Royal Bahrain Naval Force | |
---|---|
سلاح البحرية الملكية البحرينية | |
Founded | 1979 |
Country | Bahrain |
Branch | Naval Force |
Size | 1770 (Navy and Coastguard) |
Part of |
Ministry of Defense
Bahrain Defense Force |
Nickname(s) | RBNF |
Equipment | 58 ships |
Engagements |
Invasion of Kuwait
Gulf War |
Commanders | |
Commander of the Navy | Rear Admiral Mohammed Yousif al-Asam |
Insignia | |
Naval Ensign | |
Naval Flag and jack |
The Royal Bahrain Naval Force ( RBNF ) (previously known as Bahrain Defense Force, Naval Branch ) is the maritime branch of the Bahrain Defence Force . The current Commander of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force is Rear Admiral Mohammed Yousif al-Asam . The navy consists of 7 combat vessels, 31 patrol craft, 10 landing ships and over 700 personnel. The fleet is based at Mina Salman Naval Base and has a flight wing which can operate off the corvettes, consisting of two MBB BO-105 helicopters. The flagship of the RBNF is the vessel RBNS Sabha , an American-built missile frigate given to the state as a gift in 1996.
Fleet
Ships
Type/Class | Quantity | Origin | In service | Details |
Frigate | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate ( RBNS Sabha ) | 1 | United States | 1981– present | 4 Harpoon SSMs , 1 MBB BO-105 shipboard helicopter, and SM-1MR SAMs . [1] |
Corvette | ||||
Al-Manama class Lürssen FPB 62 Guided-Missile Corvette Combatants | 2 | Germany | 1988– present | 4 MM40 Exocets . [1] [2] Being upgraded with new weapon control system. [3] |
Offshore patrol vessel | ||||
River-class Offshore Patrol Vessel - Modified Batch 1b ( RBNS Al-Zubara ) | 1 | United Kingdom | 2020 - Present | ex- HMS Clyde (P257) . [4] [5] [6] |
Patrol craft | ||||
Cyclone-class patrol ship | 5 | United States | 2022– present | [7] |
Ahmed Al Fateh class Lürssen TNC 45 Guided-Missile Patrol Craft | 4 | Germany | 1984– present | 4 MM40 Exocets . [1] Being upgraded with new weapon control system. [3] |
Al Riffa class Lürssen FPB 38 Patrol Craft | 2 | Germany | 1982– present | [1] |
Al Jarim Swiftships 65 Patrol Boat | 2 | United States | 1982– present | [1] |
Swiftships 35 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV35s) | 2 | United States | 2021 | [8] |
Mark V Special Operations Craft | 7 | United States | 5 during 2018–19 | [8] |
Vigor Response-Boat Mediums (RB-M) | 2 | United States | 2019 | [9] |
BMT Group 18m patrol boat | 6 | United Kingdom | 2013– present | Built in Turkey, option for 6 more. [10] |
Wasp-11 | 2 | |||
Wasp-20 | 2 | |||
Wasp-30 | 1 | |||
VT Group VT-Halmatic 20 | 4 | Qatar | ||
VT Group VT-Halmatic 160 | 6 | Qatar | ||
Fairey Marine Swordsman | 4 | United Kingdom | ||
Amphibious warfare ship | ||||
Al Hamra class ADSB Steel Landing Craft | 4 | United Arab Emirates | 2009+ | 2 42-meter and 2 16-meter. |
LCU-1466 | 4 | United States | ||
Fairey Marine LCU | 1 | United Kingdom | ||
Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company Landing craft | 1 | Bahrain | 2016 | 34.5m in overall length. [11] 1 more could be ordered. |
Aircraft
Type | Quantity | Origin | In service | Details |
Helicopter | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Bo 105CBS-4 | 3 | Germany | The naval force operates a squadron of three Bo 105CBS-4 helicopters. |
Missiles & Torpedoes
Type | Quantity | Origin | In service | Details |
Missiles & Torpedoes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Exocet MM-40 | 67 | France | Delivered between 1984 and 2010. | |
Harpoon | 8 | United States | Delivered 1997–1998. | |
RIM-66 Standard | 22 | United States | RIM-66B Standard-1MR delivered 1997. | |
Mark 46 torpedo | 18 | United States | Mk-46 Mod-5 NEARTIP delivered 1997. |
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. [13] 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. [14]
Bahrain has ordered 6 Vigor RB-M Fast Interceptor boats. [15] 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. [16] [17]
Bahrain Eyes French-Origin Egypt-Built Gowind Corvettes [18]
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.
Commanders
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 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.
- 1 2 "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 .
- 1 2 "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 .
- ↑ "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
- Haze Gray Bahrain Navy [ permanent dead link ]
- 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 (in Japanese)
Security forces of
Bahrain
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Bahrain Defence Force | |
Ministry of Interior (MOI) | |
Multilateral (GCC) | |
Other |
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