Royal Navy of Oman

Royal Navy of Oman
Naval Ensign of Oman
Country  Oman
Type Navy
Size 4,200 personnel
Garrison/HQ Muratafat Al Matar Muscat
Colors Blue and Yellow
Insignia
Naval Ensign of Oman
RNOV Al-Shamikh, (nearest) a modern corvette and RNOV Al-Seeb, a fast attack craft moored in Goa harbour in 2016
The RNO's sail training ship Shebab Oman
The amphibious support vessel RNOV Nasr al Bahr (nearest) on an exercise with a UK warship (HMS Monmouth)

The Royal Navy of Oman (Arabic: البحرية السلطانية العمانية), abbreviated RNO, is the maritime component of the Royal Armed Forces of the Sultanate of Oman. Given its long coastline and strategic location along the Indian Ocean, as well as being close to the Strait of Hormuz, the Royal Navy is one of the priorities of the government of Oman. It has a fleet of gunboats, fast missile boats and support, training, cargo and hydro-graphical survey vessels, which can be deployed to defend the territorial waters and coastline of Oman as well as protect tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Royal Navy's headquarters are in As Sib, several miles west of Muscat, the capital. A modernization program is ongoing, with the objective of creating a first rate fleet.[1]

History

In 1992, the Royal Oman Navy had a strength of 3,000 personnel. The main naval base, near As Sib, was the Said ibn Sultan Naval Base, located in Wudham Alwa (near As Sib). One of the largest engineering projects in Oman, it serves as a homeport for the fleet and includes training facilities as well as repair bays. The Sultan Qaboos Naval academy, located at the base, provided instruction for officers and enlisted personnel, as well as specific branch training. Originally, most of the officers were British, with non-commissioned officers being mostly Pakistani. However, by 1980, most of the officers were Omani, though British and Pakistani technicians remained.

The Royal Oman Navy does not have a marine corps or any naval infantry formations, though has multiple amphibious ships. A modernization program is ongoing in order to protect the coastline as well as the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The British Royal Navy, in 2011, helped train corvette crews in the Flag Officer Sea Training.[2]

Ships

Hull
number		 Name Class Builder Type Displacement Laid down Launched Commission Decommission Notes
Surface combatants
Q40 Al Shamikh Khareef class BAE Systems Corvette 2,660 tons 22 July 2009 October 2013 8 MM-40 anti-ship missiles, 12 VL Mica anti-aircraft missiles
Q41 Al Rahmani 23 July 2010 March 2014
Q42 Al Rasikh 27 June 2011 May 2014
Q31 Qahir Al Amwaj Qahir class Vosper Thornycroft Corvette 1,185 tons 21 September 1994 3 September 1996 8 MM-40 anti-ship missiles, 1 × 8 Crotale anti-aircraft missiles
Q32 Al Mua'zzar 26 September 1995 26 November 1996
Patrol vessels
Z20 Al-Seeb Al-Ofouq class ST Marine Patrol vessel 1,100 tons 29 January 2014 31 March 2015 1 × 76 mm Oto Melara cannon, 2 × 30 mm Oto Melara Marlin-WS
Z21 Al-Shinas 14 June 2014
Z22 Sadh 17 September 2014
Z23 Khassab 2 August 2016
B10 Dhofar Province class Vosper Thornycroft Fast attack craft 390 tons 1982 6–8 MM-40 anti-ship missiles
B11 Al Sharquiyah 1983
B12 Al Bat'nah 1984
B14 Mussandam 1989
Z1 Al Bushra Al Bushra class France Patrol vessel 450 tons 1995
Z2 Al Mansoor 1995
Z3 Al Najah 1996
Q30 Al Mubrukah Brooke Marine Patrol ship 785 tons 7 April 1970 1971 Former royal yacht converted to training ship; serving as a patrol ship since 1997
Amphibious vessels
L3 Fulk al Salamah Bremer Vulkan Amphibious transport 10,864 tons 1987 270 troops. Multi-role amphibious transport and general logistics ship. Now assigned to Royal Yacht Squadron.
L2 Nasr al Bahr Brooke Marine 2,500 tons full load 1982 1984 1985 LST with helicopter deck. Capacity for 7 tanks; 240 troops.
A2 Al Sultana Netherlands 1975
Auxiliaries
S11 Al Mubshir Al Mubshir class Austal High speed support vessel 20 October 2015 20 May 2016
S12 Al Naasir April 2016 8 September 2016

Missiles

Electronics

  • MASS Ship protection system
  • 3 x SMART-S MK-II Ship sensors
  • 2 x MW-8 Air search radar
  • 5 x Sting fire control radar
  • 2 x DRBV-51C fire control radar
  • 3 x RA-20S air search radar
  • 4 x 9LV radar
  • 3 x CEROS-200 radar

Future

Procurement

New Research Vessel

The Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) has contracted with the US Pentagon through a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to provide a new research vessel based on the RV F.G. Walton Smith, a University of Miami vessel. DeJong & Lebet, Naval Architects, provided the US Navy with Contract Drawings and Engineering.

Thoma-Sea Shipbuilders of Lockport, Louisiana reportedly won a $7.3m contract to build a Catamaran Hull Hydrographic Survey Vessel for the government of Oman, according to a report. This vessel will be built by Thoma-Sea. Thoma-Sea’s partner in this proposal is Technology Associates Inc. (TAI) of New Orleans in Louisiana. TAI prepared the proposal for Thoma-Sea and will be in charge of performing the Design, Program Management and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) functions for Thoma-Sea. The Sultanate of Oman will receive this 90-foot vessel, which is designed to conduct hydrographic and environmental surveys of harbors and bays, and will work in Oman’s territorial waters, according to the release.[3]

Oman has also issued RFI for a new ‘hydrographic survey vessel’. US Naval Sea Systems Command is promoting ship design based on the Walton Smith Catamaran design.

Former ships

See also

References

  1. ↑ John Pike. "Royal Oman Navy (RON)". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. ↑ John Pike. "Royal Oman Navy (RON)". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Thoma-Sea Wins Navy Deal". Marine Link. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
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