The Royal Bahraini Air Force (abbreviated as RBAF, formerly known as Bahrain Amiri Air Force) is the aerial warfare

Aerial warfare

Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines in warfare, including military airlift of cargo to further the national interests as was demonstrated in the Berlin Airlift...

 branch of the Bahrain Defense Force. The air force had 650 personnel in 1992 and 1,500 in 2009.

History

The air branch of the Bahrain Defence Force was organized in 1977 and began flying helicopters. In 1986, F5 fighter jets were acquired from the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

In 1987, the Bahrain Defense Force was reorganized into separate Army

Royal Bahraini Army

Royal Bahraini Army is the ground force component of the Bahraini Defence Force. The army's current strength is 6,000 personnel and headed by Lieutenant General Khalifa bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa.-Formation:The army consists of 3 brigades and 2 battalions:...

, Navy

Royal Bahraini Navy

The Royal Bahrain Naval Force , is the maritime branch of the Bahrain Defense Force. The Commander of the Navy is Lieutenant Commander Yusuf al-Maluallah. The navy consists of 11 combat vessels, 22 patrol craft and over 700 personnel...

 and Air force branches with the Air Wing becoming the Bahrain Amiri Air Force (BAAF). The delivery of a squadron of F-16

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...

s from 1990 marked a further increase in the capabilities of the air arm. The new F-16 unit was based at Sheik Isa Air Base

Sheik Isa Air Base

Isa Air Base, formerly Shaikh Isa Air Base , is located on the 665 km² island nation of Bahrain which is situated off Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast...

 alongside the F-5

F-5 Freedom Fighter

The Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and the F-5E/F Tiger II are part of a family of widely-used light supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop...

s. On 2 August 1990 several aircraft from the Kuwait Air Force

Kuwait Air Force

The Kuwait Air Force is the air arm of the State of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Al Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining forces stationed at Air Defence Brigade, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base...

 were evacuated to Bahrain during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. During the subsequent Gulf War

Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...

, BAAF carried out the first F-5s and F-16s defensive missions on 25 January 1991 and began offensive operations the following day. The Gulf War ended on 28 February 1991.

A second batch of F-16s commenced delivery in 2000. The new aircraft were equipped to carry the AMRAAM

AIM-120 AMRAAM

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...

 missile, first used by the USAF

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 in the Gulf War. In July 2000, Bahrain signed a deal with BAE Systems

BAE Systems

BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...

 to establish a pilot academy based around the Hawk Trainer

BAE Hawk

The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single-engine, advanced jet trainer aircraft. It first flew in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk. The Hawk is used by the Royal Air Force, and other air forces, as either a trainer or a low-cost combat aircraft...

, similar to the NFTC

NATO Flying Training in Canada

NATO Flight Training in Canada is a military flight training program for NATO and allied air forces provided by the Canadian Forces.Located at 15 Wing, CFB Moose Jaw in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and 4 Wing, CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, the program is delivered as a cooperative operation between a...

 in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. Subsequently, orders were placed for Slingsby T67 Firefly

Slingsby T-67 Firefly

The Slingsby T67 Firefly, originally produced as the Fournier RF-6, is a two-seat aerobatic training aircraft, built by Slingsby Aviation in Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire, England...

 and BAE Hawk

BAE Hawk

The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single-engine, advanced jet trainer aircraft. It first flew in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk. The Hawk is used by the Royal Air Force, and other air forces, as either a trainer or a low-cost combat aircraft...

 trainers. The first trainers were delivered in October 2006. After the elections on 14 February 2002, the state changed from an emirate

Emirate

An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....

 to a kingdom

Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...

 resulting in the renaming of the Armed Forces. Since then the air force was called the RBAF rather than BAAF.
According to Sikorsky’s announcement in June 2007, Bahrain confirmed the purchase of nine UH-60M Black Hawk

Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk

The UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition in 1972...

 helicopters. The helicopters will be used in a variety of roles, including combat search and rescue.

Incidents and accidents

One F-16

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...

 was lost on 27 September 2003 when it crashed in the Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...

, 75 km (46.6 mi) north of Bahrain.

Fleet

Role	Type/Class	Quantity in service	Origin	Notes
Attack helicopter Attack helicopter An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...	Bell AH-1E AH-1 Cobra The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...	10	United States
Attack helicopter Attack helicopter An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...	Bell AH-1P AH-1 Cobra The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...	6	United States
Attack helicopter Attack helicopter An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...	Bell TAH-1P AH-1 Cobra The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...	6	United States
Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...	Lockheed Martin F16C F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...	30	United States
Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...	Lockheed Martin F16D F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...	3	United States
Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...	Northrop F5E	12	United States
Fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...	Northrop F5F	4	United States
Trainer Trainer (aircraft) A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...	BAE Hawk 129	6	United Kingdom
Trainer Trainer (aircraft) A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...	Slingsby T67 Firefly Slingsby T-67 Firefly The Slingsby T67 Firefly, originally produced as the Fournier RF-6, is a two-seat aerobatic training aircraft, built by Slingsby Aviation in Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire, England...	3	United Kingdom
Transport Military transport aircraft Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...	BAe 146 BAe 146 The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...	1	United Kingdom
Utility helicopter Utility helicopter A Utility Helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....	Bell 212 Twin Huey	11	Italy
Utility helicopter Utility helicopter A Utility Helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....	MBB BO-105	3	Germany
Utility helicopter Utility helicopter A Utility Helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....	Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk	2	United States	VIP
Utility helicopter Utility helicopter A Utility Helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....	Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk	9	United States
Utility helicopter Utility helicopter A Utility Helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....	Bell 412 Bell 412 The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...	2	United States	Currently in use by the Bahraini Police.
Utility helicopter Utility helicopter A Utility Helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....	Bell 427 Bell 427 |-See also:-References:* . Bell Helicopter-External links:*...	1	United States	Currently in use by the Bahraini Police.

1st Fighter Wing (Sheikh Isa Air Base)

• 1st Fighter Squadron - F-16C/D Block 40
• 2nd Fighter Squadron - F-16C/D Block 40
• 6th Fighter Squadron - Northrop F-5E/F
• 5th Squadron - British Aerospace Hawk
• 4th Squadron - Slingsby T-67 Firefly
  Slingsby T-67 Firefly
  The Slingsby T67 Firefly, originally produced as the Fournier RF-6, is a two-seat aerobatic training aircraft, built by Slingsby Aviation in Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire, England...
  
  

Helicopter Wing (Rifa'a Air Base)

• 3 Squadron - Agusta-Bell AB.212
• 8 Squadron - Bell AH-1E
• 9 Squadron - Bell AH-1E
• 10 Squadron - MBB Bo 105C

Bases

Base	Location	Runway	Notes
Sakhir Airstrip	West of Mountain of Smoke	Helipad and short runway	Built in 1976.
Sheikh Isa Air Base		Single 3,700 m (12,100 ft)
Muharraq Air Base	Located within BIA Bahrain International Airport Bahrain International Airport is an international airport located in Muharraq, an island on the northern tip of Bahrain, about northeast of the capital Manama...		Was once an RAF Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...  air base; now used by the USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... .
Shaikh-Isa Air Base	26°6′31"N 50°34′45"E