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 18,000 personnel[1]
Part of Bahrain Defense Force
Garrison/HQ Manama
Engagements 2011 Bahrain protests
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Gulf War
Commanders
Current
commander
Khalifa bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa

Royal Bahraini Army is the ground force component of the Bahrain Defence Force. The army's current strength is 15000 personnel and headed by Lieutenant General Khalifa bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa.[2]

History

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

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

Heavy Armour and Armoured combat vehicle

Type/Class Quantity Origin Details
YPR-765 Infantry Fighting Vehicles 75 Netherlands 25 Netherlands-origin YPR-765 ACV delivered in 1996,42 Belgium-origin AIFV-IFV delivered in 2008, Belgium-origin AIFV-APC delivered in 2008
M60 A3 Patton Main battle tanks 180 United States Tanks equipped with modern systems for firing and surveillance
M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers 339 United States a total of 339 M113A2 were delivered
Panhard M3 Armoured Personnel Carriers 110 France Ordered in 1977, Most of them Modified the quantity Include some ambulance, CP, AEV, ARV and 81mm mortar carrier versions
Otokar Arma armored combat vehicle 73 Turkey in service from 2010
AML-90 Recon Vehicles 22 France Ordered in 1977
AT105 Saxon 10 UK purchased in the 1980s
Otokar Akrep infantry mobility vehicle 21 Turkey in service 2005
Otokar Cobra infantry mobility vehicle 15 Turkey in service 2008
Otokar armored patrol vehicle 133 Turkey in service 2012/13
Humvee infantry mobility vehicle 200+ United States Two types: BGM-71 TOW missile (44) & Browning M2HB
Kornet-D Kornet anti-tank guided missile[5] 10+ Russia The Kornet-EM is based on the chassis of the Tigr 4x4 light armoured 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 Light Armoured vehicles 200+ Japan Locally Modified - VDJ78R Troop Carrier
Chevrolet Silverado Light Armoured vehicles 50+ United States Multi-purpose vehicle
FGM-148 Javelin 60 United States 180+ missiles
Nimer-1 MRAP (armored vehicle) 6 Oman in service 2005
Kornet-EM ? Russia
Lynx reconnaissance vehicle 35 United States Command and Reconnaissance Vehicle

Artillery, Air Defense, anti tank launchers and missiles

Type/Class Quantity Origin Details
203mm M110 Self-propelled howitzer 13 United States
155mm M109 howitzer Self-propelled howitzer 20[6] United States
155mm M-198 A1 howitzers 18 United States
105mm L-118 Light Gun 8 UK
81mm EIMOS Integrated Mortar System 6 Spain [7]
M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System 9 United States MGM-140 ATACMS
Weishi Rockets SR5 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) 8+ China [8]
BGM-71C TOW Anti-Tank Missile System ? United States a total of 2,724 missiles delivered since 1983
FIM-92A Stinger Weapons System 14-16 United States delivered 1988 along with 70 missiles
Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon 15 Switzerland GDF-005 units
Bofors 40 mm L70 Air Defence Gun 12 Sweden
RBS 70 SAM 14 Sweden delivered 1980-81 along with 161 missiles
Crotale SAM 7 France
MIM-23 Hawk SAM 8 United States
AN/TWQ-1 Avenger SAM 10+ United States Self-propelled surface-to-air missile system mounted on a HMMWV
120 mm BAT recoilless rifle Recoilless rifle 10+ UK Anti Tank rifle

Weapons

Type/Class Quantity Origin Details
Heckler & Koch G3 West Germany
FN FAL Belgium
M16 rifle ? United States
M4 carbine ? United States
Barrett M82 anti-materiel rifle ? United States
Heckler & Koch MP5 ? West Germany
Browning Hi-Power Belgium
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

Sources

  1. http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=bahrain. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=bahrain
  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
  5. http://www.armyrecognition.com/august_2014_global_defense_security_news_uk/bahrain_to_purchase_russian-made_mobile_kornet-em_anti-tank_missiles_1408143.html
  6. https://www.instagram.com/p/BQHonQ-lQ_Y/?taken-by=bdf_bahrain
  7. http://www.janes.com/article/66420/bahrain-identified-as-eimos-mortar-user
  8. http://defence-blog.com/news/royal-bahraini-army-gets-chinese-sr5-multiple-launch-rocket-systems.html

References

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