| Royal Bahraini Air Force | |
|---|---|
| سلاح الجو الملكي البحريني | |
 Emblem of the Royal Bahraini Air Force | |
| Founded | 1976; 49 years ago (1976)[1] |
| Country |  Bahrain |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 1,500 personnel[2] 131 aircraft[3] |
| Part of | Bahrain Defence Force |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Major General Sheikh Hammad bin Abdullah Al Khalifa |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Fin flash |  |
| Flag |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | F-16 Fighting Falcon,F-5 |
| Helicopter | Bell 212,Bell 412,MBB BO-105,UH-60 |
| Attack helicopter | AH-1E,AH-1P,TAH-1P |
| Trainer | BH-129,T-67 |
| Transport | C-130,BAE-146 |
TheRoyal Bahraini Air Force (Arabic:سلاح الجو الملكي البحريني, abbreviated asRBAF, formerly known asBahrain Amiri Air Force)[1][4] is theaerial warfare branch of theBahrain Defence Force (BDF). Originally formed as the BDF Air Wing in 1976, it became an independent service branch in 1987. The RBAF was involved in combat operations during theGulf War and theSaudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war.
Bahrain has developed a well-equipped air force and was the second country in theGulf Cooperation Council afterSaudi Arabia to acquire advanced fighters, namely theF-16C/D in 1989, which have been the RBAF's main combat aircraft since then.[5] Bahrain was the first country in the Gulf to use the F-16.[6] In the early 2010s Bahrain decided to replace its olderF-5E and F-5F fighters with more modern planes, as well as to modernize its existing F-16 fleet.[5] It ordered 16 new planes of the F-16 Block 70 variant, which it expects to acquire in 2024.[6]
The Bahrain Defence Force, which itself was formed in 1968, just before the country became independent fromUnited Kingdom in 1971, first organized an air wing in May 1976 atRiffa Air Base, which received its first aircraft, fourBo 105 helicopters, in February 1977. This occurred after Bahrain sent the air wing's future members to receive training from allied countries in 1974. The small force grew gradually, receiving 12Augusta Bell Twin Huey helicopters in 1978, and in the mid-1980s the air wing became the new Bahrain Amiri Air Force (BAAF). In the early years the Bahraini Air Force participated in training with other countries and helped recoverU.S. Navy sailors after theUSSStark incident during theIran-Iraq War.[1][4] Because of regional conflicts like the Iran-Iraq War and theGulf War, during the 1980s and 1990s Bahrain expanded its military, including its Air Force, with the assistance of theUnited States.[7]
In 1985 Bahrain acquired its first fighter jets, theF-5, and established the6th Fighter Squadron atMuharraq Air Base. After Bahraini air crews became familiar with the F-5, they underwent training to prepare to use theF-16 Fighting Falcon. The first Bahraini F-16s, the F-16C/D variants, were acquired in 1990.[1] This made Bahrain the first Gulf country to fly the F-16.[6] Before this, the country considered several American and European advanced fighter aircraft, including theF-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon,F/A-18 Hornet,Mirage 2000, andTornado. Bahraini pilots were trained on F-16 operations atMacDill Air Force Base in Florida in 1989, and the first F-16 was formally handed over to the BAAF in March of that year. The first four F-16s were sent to Bahrain, flown by Bahraini pilots, in May 1990.[8]
Around this time the construction ofIsa Air Base was complete,[1] which is where the Bahraini F-16s have been based.[9] Both the F-16 and the F-5 were operated by Bahrain in theGulf War,[1] during which the BAAF carried out air strikes againstIraq.[7] The new Bahraini F-16s were flown by the1st Tactical Fighter Squadron in Operation Desert Storm, operating alongside coalition forces, which included 200 American aircraft based out of the Isa Air Base, along with the BAAF. The operations lasted from 25 January 1991 until the end of the war, with an average of six sorties per day.[10]
A second batch of ten F-16s commenced delivery in 2000 under the Peace Crown II program. The new aircraft represented a further increase in the air force's combat capabilities, as they were equipped to carry theAMRAAM missile, first used by theUSAF in 1992. Air-to-air armament had been limited to the short-rangeAIM-9M Sidewinder missile and internal cannon through the Gulf War. After the war, the country began to acquire more advanced weapons, including theAIM-7M Sparrow radar-guided air-to-air missile andLANTIRN navigation and targeting pod for air-to-ground weapons that would also be acquired such as the GBU-10/12laser guided bombs andAGM-65D/G Maverick air-to-ground missiles.[8][10]
In 1994 the8th Helicopter Squadron was established withBell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters, followed by the9th Helicopter Squadron in 1997, for the purpose of providing close air support to theRoyal Bahraini Army. In 1999 the Air Defense Wing, equipped with theHawk missile system, was brought under the control of the Air Force.[1]
In July 2000, Bahrain signed a deal withBAE Systems to establish a pilot academy based around theHawk Trainer, similar to theNFTC inCanada. Subsequently, orders were placed forSlingsby T67 Firefly andBAE Hawk trainers. The first trainers were delivered in October 2006.[11]
After Bahrain became a monarchy on 14 February 2002, the BAAF was renamed the Royal Bahraini Air Force.[1]
Upgrade of the helicopter force has included new utility transports, and on 19 June 2007, Bahrain signed a letter of offer and acceptance for nineUH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to be purchased as part of the Foreign Military Sales program through the United States Army. These are designated for use in a variety of roles, including combat search and rescue. They were the international launch customer for the UH-60M variant of the venerable S-70 helicopter family.[12] Deliveries commenced on 1 December 2009.[13]
A singleSikorsky S-92 VVIP helicopter was purchased by the Air Force in 2007 and placed in service with the Bahrain Royal Flight.[14]
Bahrain would again engage in combat operations as part of the Saudi Arabia-ledOperation Decisive Storm, operating from bases in Saudi Arabia againstHouthi rebel forces inYemen during March and April 2015. Initially, fifteen F-16 aircraft were deployed as the RBAF contribution to combat forces in the operation. Bahrain's forces remained in Saudi Arabia in assistance of the coalition through 2015.[15] An RBAF F-16 was lost when it crashed after a technical problem in December 2015.[16] The Bahraini Air Force ended its participation in the operation in Yemen in February 2016.[17]
In 2018, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $1.1 billion contract to produce 16 F-16 Viper Block 70 fighter aircraft for Bahrain, the U.S. Department of Defense said in a release.
Work under the $1,124,545,002 fixed-price-incentive-firm contract is expected to be complete by 30 September 2023, the Friday, 22 June release said.
In October, the government of Bahrain announced that it had finalized a $3.8 billion deal with Lockheed for the F-16 purchase. Bahrain Royal Air Force commander Major General Shaikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said the Gulf state hoped the first planes will be delivered in 2021.
The sale of F-16 Vipers and related equipment to Bahrain was first approved by the U.S. State Department in 2016 during the Obama administration but it was delayed over human rights concerns. President Donald Trump dropped the human rights conditions last year.
The State Department then approved the sale of 19 aircraft worth $2.78 billion, and another $1.1 billion to upgrade Bahrain's existing fleet of 20 F-16s to the Viper configuration in September 2017. The proposed sales also include additional equipment and support. Hamid said in October that the purchase of the other three aircraft was still a possibility.[18]
| Squadron | Wing | Aircraft | Base | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Tactical Fighter Squadron | Fighter Wing | F-16C/D | Isa Air Base | [9] |
| 2nd Tactical Fighter Squadron | Fighter Wing | F-16C | Isa Air Base | [9] |
| 3rd Helicopter Squadron | Helicopter Wing | AB 212, UH-60M | Riffa Air Base | [9] |
| 4th Squadron | Training Wing | T67M260 | Isa Air Base | [9] |
| 5th Squadron | Training Wing | Hawk 129 | Isa Air Base | [9] |
| 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron | Fighter Wing | F-5E/F | Isa Air Base | [9] |
| 7th Transport Squadron | Transport Wing | C-130J | Sakhir Air Base | [9] |
| 8th Helicopter Squadron | Helicopter Wing | AH-1E, TAH-1P | Riffa Air Base | [9] |
| 9th Helicopter Squadron | Helicopter Wing | AH-1E, TAH-1P | Riffa Air Base | [9] |
| 10th Helicopter Squadron | Helicopter Wing | Bo 105C | Riffa Air Base | [9] |
| 22nd Helicopter Squadron | Helicopter Wing | AH-1Z | Riffa Air Base | [9] |
| Base | Location | Runway | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa Air Base | 9.7 kilometres (6.0 mi) south of Jaww,Southern Governorate | 1 x 3,800 metres (12,500 ft) concrete | Fighter Wing[9] Training Wing[9] 379th Air Expeditionary Wing (USAF) |
| Sakhir Air Base | 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) east ofZallaq,Southern Governorate | 1 x 3,200 metres (10,500 ft) paved 2 x helipad | Bahrain Amiri Royal Flight[20] |
| Riffa Air Base | 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) south east ofRiffa,Southern Governorate | 1 x 175 metres (574 ft) multiple helipads | Helicopter Wing |
| Muharraq Air Base | Bahrain International Airport,Muharraq | 1 x 3,956 metres (12,979 ft) asphalt | Aviation Support Unit Bahrain (USN) formerRoyal Air Force station |
The air force had 650 personnel in 1992[21] and 1,500 in 2009.[22]
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| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | Multirole | F-16C | 17 | ||
| F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | Multirole | F-16V Block 70 | 5[23] | 11 more on order[24][23] | |
| Transport | ||||||
| Cessna 208 | United States | Transport /Utility | 1[3] | |||
| C-130J Super Hercules | United States | Tactical airlifter | C-130J-30 | 2[3] | FormerRAF aircraft[25] | |
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Bell 212 | United States | Utility | 12[3] | |||
| Bell 505 | United States /Canada | Utility | 3[3] | |||
| Bell AH-1 Cobra | United States | Attack | Bell AH-1E/F FB[26] | 22[3][27] | Turkish upgrade | |
| Bell AH-1Z Viper | United States | Attack | 12[28][3] | |||
| Sikorsky UH-60 | United States | Utility | UH-60M | 8[3] | ||
| Sikorsky S-92 | United States | VIP transport | 1[29] | |||
| Trainer aircraft | ||||||
| Bell AH-1 Cobra | United States | Trainer | AH-1P | 8[3] | ||
| T67 Firefly | United Kingdom | Basic trainer | 3[3] | |||
| BAE Hawk | United Kingdom | Jet trainer | Hawk 129 | 6[3] | ||
| MBB Bo 105 | Germany | Trainer / Utility | 4[3] | |||
| Northrop F-5 | United States | Conversion trainer | F-5E/F | 12[3] | ||
| F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | Conversion trainer | F-16D | 4[3] | ||
The personnel of the RBAF are trained at the Royal Bahraini Air Force Technical Institute and the Training Wing. Every year a number of Bahraini officers are also sent to the United States for additional training, which can include theU.S. Air Force'sAir University's Squadron Officer School, theAir Command and Staff College, or theAir War College. The RBAF also takes part in training exercises with other air forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council.[1]
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Bahraini Air Force |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
| مشیر Mushir | فريق أول Fariq 'awal | فريق Fariq | لواء Liwa | عميد Amid | عقيد Aqid | مقدم Muqaddam | رائد Ra'id | نقيب Naqib | ملازم أول Mulazim awwal | ملازم Mulazim | ||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Bahraini Air Force |  |  |  |  | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| رقیب أول Raqib 'awal | رقیب Raqib | عريف Earif | جندي أول Jundiun awwal | جندي Jundiun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bahrain is planning to recapitalize its fighter fleet. Replacement of the F-5 fleet is to be accomplished with additional F-16 orders in the near term, while longer-term plans call for a more capable aircraft to be acquired to add to or replace the F-16 fleet. Bahrain is considering buying theEurofighter Typhoon, theJAS 39 Gripen, theDassault Rafale, or theF-35 Lightning II.[30] The British government is in early talks with Bahrain over a potential order for theEurofighter Typhoon fighter.[31] In September 2016 it was announced that the sale of up to 19 further F-16s had been submitted to the US Congress for approval, however the White House later advised that it would not complete the approval unless it showed progress on human rights issues arising from theBahraini protests of 2011.[32][33] In September 2017, the United StatesDefense Security Cooperation Agency approved the sale of up to 22F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft, as well as the sale of 20 upgrade kits to upgrade Bahrain's existing F-16 fleet to the F-16V Viper variant, the most advanced variant of the F-16, featuring theAN/APG-83active electronically scanned array radar, a new mission computer developed byRaytheon, modern cockpit displays and other electronics upgrades.[34] In October 2017, Bahraini officials announced that Bahrain had signed a deal worth $3.8 billion withLockheed Martin for upgraded F-16s, as well as upgrade kits for the Air Force's existing F-16 fleet.[35][36]
Bahrain has confirmed its order for 12Bell AH-1Z Viper, six months after the US Department of State approved the deal, worth an estimated $912 million, under the Foreign Military Sales process. The attack helicopters will be delivered from the second half of 2022.[37]
Helicopters Enhance Training Proficiency of Royal Bahrain Air Force. Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced the delivery of 3Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Bahrain Air Force. Bell delivered the aircraft during an inspection and acceptance event in February 2023 at Bell's Mirabel facility.[38]
In March 2023, Bahrain has requested the purchase of 24 surplusBell AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters from the US, via a Foreign Military Sales deal worth an estimatedUS$350 million.[39]