Royal Bahrain Naval Force
The Royal Bahrain Naval Force is the maritime branch of the Bahrain Defence Force. The current Commander of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force is Commodore 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
Type/Class | Quantity | Origin | In service | Details |
Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate | 1 | 1981 - Present | 4 Harpoon SSMs, 1 MBB BO-105 shipboard helicopter, and SM-1MR SAMs. | |
Al-Manama class Lürssen FPB 62 Guided-Missile Corvette Combatants | 2 | 1988 - Present | 4 MM40 Exocets. Being upgraded with new weapon control system | |
Ahmed Al Fateh class Lürssen TNC 45 Guided-Missile Patrol Craft | 4 | 1984 - Present | 4 MM40 Exocets Being upgraded with new weapon control system | |
Al Riffa class Lürssen FPB 38 Patrol Craft | 2 | 1982 - Present | ||
Al Jarim Swiftships 65 Patrol Boat | 2 | 1982 - Present | ||
Mark V Special Operations Craft | 2 | ? | 5 more on order | |
BMT Group 18m patrol boat | 6 | 2013 - Present | Built in Turkey, option for 6 more | |
Wasp-11 | 2 | |||
Wasp-20 | 2 | |||
Wasp-30 | 1 | |||
VT Group VT-Halmatic 20 | 4 | |||
VT Group VT-Halmatic 160 | 6 | |||
Fairey Marine Swordsman | 4 | |||
steel landing craft | 4 | 2009+ | 2 42-meter and 2 16-meter | |
LCU-1466 | 4 | |||
Fairey Marine LCU | 1 | |||
Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company Landing craft | 1 | 2016 | 34.5m in overall length, 1 more could be ordered |
Missiles & Torpedoes
67 MM-40 delivered between 1984–2010.8 Harpoon delivered 1997–8.
22 RIM-66 Standard RIM-66B Standard-1MR delivered 1997.
18 Mark 46 torpedo Mk-46 Mod-5 NEARTIP delivered 1997.
Aircraft
The naval force operates a single Bo 105CBS-4 helicopter.Future
Sep. 8, 2017 - The 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.In 2019, Bahrain has purchased another frigate from the US, the USS Robert G. Bradley which will join the fleet after completion of current refurbishment works.
Bahrain has ordered 6 Vigor RB-M Fast Interceptor boats.
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
- Rear Admiral Mohamed bin Yousif Al-Asam