Royal Bahraini Army

Royal Bahraini Army
الجيش البحريني
Flag of the Royal Bahraini Army
Founded	1969
Country	Bahrain
Allegiance	King of Bahrain
Branch	Army
Role	Ground warfare
Size	20,000 active; 110,000 reserve [1]
Part of	Bahrain Defence Force
Garrison/HQ	Manama
Engagements	Bahraini uprising of 2011 Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Gulf War
Commanders
Current commander	Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
Notable commanders	Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Khalifa Munzir ibn Sawa Al-Tamimi

The Royal Bahraini Army is the ground force component of the Bahrain Defence Force. The army's current strength is 20,000 personnel. It is headed by Lieutenant General Khalifa bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa. ^[2]

History

Bahraini ground troops took part in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen in the Yemeni civil war. In September 2015, five Bahraini soldiers guarding the Yemeni–Saudi Arabian border were killed in unspecified circumstances. ^[3] Another three died in Yemen afterwards. ^[4]

Formation

The army consists of 3 brigades and 2 battalions:

• 1 Armoured Brigade
  • 2 armoured battalions
  • 1 recon battalion
• 1 Mechanized Infantry Brigade
  • 2 mechanized infantry battalions
  • 1 infantry battalion
• 1 Artillery Brigade
  • 6 artillery batteries
• 1 air defence battalion
• 1 special forces battalion

Equipment

The RBA has a mix of equipment purchased in the 1970s and early 1990s. They are currently modernizing some of the their equipment. Most purchases in the past have been second hand from the United States or the United Kingdom. In the past few years, Bahrain has begun developing military capabilities, through the purchase of equipment from Turkey, including armoured vehicles such as Otokar Arma and Otokar Akrep (Armoured combat vehicle).

In 2019, the U.S. State Department cleared a $2.5 billion sale of the Patriot missile-defense system to Bahrain. The deal would include 60 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, 36 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missiles with canisters, nine M903 launchers, two AN/MPQ-65 radar sets, control stations and other associated equipment. ^[5]

8 M-ATV light armored vehicles in service ^[6]

Armoured fighting vehicles

Model	Image	Origin	Quantity	Details
M1A2 SEPv3		United States	~50	[7]
M60A3			~100	80 more in store. [8]

Image	Name	Class	Origin	Number	Notes
	YPR-765	IFV	Netherlands	75	25 Netherlands-origin YPR-765 ACV delivered in 1996, 42 Belgium-origin AIFV-IFV delivered in 2008.
	M113	Armoured personnel carrier	United States	339	A total of 339 M113A2 were delivered
	Lynx	Command and recon	United States	35
	Panhard M3	Armoured personnel carrier	France	110	Ordered in 1977, most of them modified, including some ambulance, CP, AEV, ARV, and 81mm mortar carrier versions
	Saxon	Armoured personnel carrier	United Kingdom	10	Purchased in the 1980s
	AML-90	Armoured car	France	22	Ordered in 1977
	Otokar Arma	Armoured personnel carrier	Turkey	73	In service from 2010
	Otokar ZPT	Armoured patrol vehicle	Turkey	133	In service 2012/13
	Otokar Akrep	Infantry mobility vehicle	Turkey	21	In service 2005
	Otokar Cobra	Infantry mobility vehicle	Turkey	15	In service 2008
	Humvee	Infantry mobility vehicle	United States	200+	2 types: BGM-71 TOW missile (44) and Browning M2HB
	Kornet-D	Anti-tank guided missile [9]	Russia	10+	The Kornet-EM is based on the chassis of the Tigr 4x4 light armored vehicle with two retractable launcher units, each with four missiles ready to fire. In road position, the launcher units are stowed inside the vehicle.
	Toyota Land Cruiser	Utility vehicle	Japan	200+	Locally modified - VDJ78R Troop Carrier
	Chevrolet Silverado	Multi-purpose vehicle	United States	50+
	Interceptor	Light armoured vehicle	Pakistan	0	6 on order of these light-protected vehicles, it is likely that a series contract of minimum of 50 more vehicles would be further awarded [10]
	Nimer-1	MRAP	Oman	6	In service since 2005

Air Defense Systems

Photo	Name	Origin	Type	Number	Details
	MIM-104 Patriot	United States	Surface-to-air missiles	1	Raytheon awarded contract to supply Patriot missiles defense systems. [11]
	FIM-92A	United States	Man-portable air-defense system	14-16	Delivered 1988 along with 70 missiles
	RBS 70	Sweden	Short range air defense	14	Delivered 1980–81 along with 161 missiles
	Crotale	France	Surface-to-air missile	7
	MIM-23 Hawk	United States	Surface-to-air missile	8
	AN/TWQ-1 Avenger	United States	Surface-to-air missile	10+	Self-propelled surface-to-air missile system mounted on a HMMWV
	Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon	Switzerland	Autocannon	15	GDF-005 units
	Bofors 40 mm	Sweden	Autocannon	12

Artillery

Photo	Name	Origin	Type	Number	Details
	M110A2 howitzer	United States	Self-propelled howitzer	38	13 as M110A2 from Netherlands delivered in 1994, [12] 25 as M110A2 from US delivered in 1996. [13]
	M198 howitzer	United States	Howitzer	18
	L-118	United Kingdom	Field gun	8
	81mm EIMOS Integrated Mortar System	Spain	Mortar	6 [14]
	M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System	United States	Multiple launch rocket system	9	MGM-140 ATACMS
	SR-5	China	Multiple launch rocket system	8+ [15] [16]

Anti-tank Weapons

Photo	Name	Origin	Type	Number	Details
	120 mm BAT recoilless rifle	United Kingdom	Anti tank rifle	10+
	BGM-71C	United States	Anti-tank missile	Unknown	A total of 2,724 missiles delivered since 1983
	FGM-148 Javelin	United States	Anti-tank missile	60	180+ missiles
	Kornet-EM	Russia		Unknown [17]

Weapons

Type/Class	Quantity	Origin	Details
Heckler & Koch G3		West Germany
FN FAL		Belgium
M16A2 rifle	?	United States
M4 carbine	?	United States
Barrett M82 anti-materiel rifle	?	United States
Heckler & Koch MP5	?	West Germany
Browning Hi-Power		Belgium
SIG Sauer P226		Germany
FN MAG		Belgium
M2 Browning		Belgium

Additional equipment on order by the army include:

Type/Class	Quantity	Origin	Details
Logistics Vehicle System heavy tactical vehicle system	100+	United States	Transport of armored vehicles and tanks
M939 Truck 6x6 trucks	100+	United States
MAN Truck & Bus military transport	200+	United States
Toyota Coaster troops transport	100+	Japan

Retired equipment were made in the 1950s and 1960s:

Type/Class	Quantity	Origin	Details
Ferret Armoured Fighting Vehicle	10	UK
Alvis Saladin	10	UK

See also

• Military of Bahrain
• Royal Bahrain Naval Force
• Royal Bahraini Air Force

References

1. "2023 Bahrain Military Strength".
2. "2023 Bahrain Military Strength" . Retrieved 17 September 2023.
3. UAE, Bahrain lose 50 troops on black day for Yemen coalition. Dawn News. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
4. "Bahrain says three soldiers in Yemen coalition killed". Dunya News. 14 February 2008.
5. "State Dept. Clears $2.5 billion sale of Patriot missile defense system to Bahrain". 6 May 2019.
6. "Bahrain Operating M-ATVs". 16 April 2019.
7. Matthieu (20 March 2024). "US approves sale of 50 next-gen M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks to Bahrain | Defense News March 2024 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2024 | Archive News year". Army Recognition. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
8. International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2023). The Military Balance 2023 (1st ed.). Routledge. ISBN   978-1032508955.
9. "Bahrain to purchase Russian-made mobile Kornet-EM anti-tank missiles 1408143". Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
10. "Pakistan to sell six Interceptor Vehicles to Bahrain". Daily Pakistan Global.
11. GDC (11 March 2020). "Raytheon to supply Patriot Missile Defense System to Bahrain". Global Defense Corp. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
12. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. "Transfers and licensed production of major conventional weapons". Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
13. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. "Excess Defense Articles". Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
14. "Janes | Latest defence and security news". Janes.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
15. GDC (10 July 2021). "NORINCO Delivers SR-5 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems To Bahrain". Global Defense Corp. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
16. "NORINCO Delivers First Batch Of SR5 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems To Bahrain". www.defenseworld.net. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
17. "Bahrain to purchase Russian-made mobile Kornet-EM anti-tank missiles 1408143". Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2014.

Sources

• Bahrain Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
• Bahrain Army Equipment