Royal Bahraini Air Force
The Royal Bahraini Air Force, ordered into being on 8 May 1976 and flying from February 1977, grew from four helicopters into the first F-16 operator in the Gulf, flew in Desert Storm, over Syria and over Yemen, became the launch customer for the F-16 Block 70 in 2024 — and in April 2026 claimed that jet’s first air-to-air kills, against Iranian drones over its own island.
The Royal Bahraini Air Force story: four helicopters in 1977, the first F-16s in the Gulf and the first Block 70 kills
1976–1985: a helicopter wing for an island state
The Bahrain Defence Force grew out of a national guard formed in 1968 and took its present name on 1 November 1969, according to the sources Wikipedia cites. Its air arm came seven years later. The BDF’s own history says the then commander, the present King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, ordered the formation of the air force on 8 May 1976, and that the first aircraft — MBB Bo 105 helicopters — arrived on 5 February 1977. That gap explains why 1977 is often given as the founding year: Arabic Wikipedia dates the organisation of the air wing to 1977, when there was something to fly. English Wikipedia says the first delivery was four Bo 105s. For its first decade the BDF Air Wing was a small helicopter unit based at Riffa.
1985–1991: Tiger IIs, the first Gulf F-16s and Desert Storm
Jets arrived in the mid-1980s. The BDF dates the introduction of the Northrop F-5 to 12 December 1985; Arabic Wikipedia says 1986. In 1987 the BDF was reorganised into separate branches and the air wing became the Bahrain Amiri Air Force. The same year Bahrain ordered the F-16 under the Peace Crown programme: eight F-16C and four F-16D Block 40, according to F-16.net. The first four arrived on 23 May 1990, flown by Bahraini pilots, and the BDF gives 28 May 1990 as the date the type entered service, which made Bahrain the first Gulf state to fly the F-16. Months later Iraq invaded Kuwait. F-16.net records that Bahraini F-16s and F-5s flew defensive missions from 25 January 1991 and offensive missions from the next day; Arabic Wikipedia puts the total at 303 combat sorties up to 28 February. Bahrain also opened its bases to the coalition, as the Library of Congress country study notes.
1993–2018: Isa Air Base, a second F-16 batch and a new name
The BDF says Shaikh Isa Air Base, in the south of the main island, was officially opened on 2 February 1993; it became the home of the fighter wing, with F-16.net listing 1 and 2 Tactical Fighter Squadrons there. A 1992 defence agreement gave the United States use of Bahraini military facilities. A second F-16 purchase, Peace Crown II, brought ten more Block 40s for US$303 million by 2000, for 22 in all according to F-16.net and The War Zone. When Bahrain became a kingdom in 2002 the service took its present name, the Royal Bahraini Air Force. Training was rebuilt around six BAE Halcón Mk 129s, which the BDF dates to 26 February 2007, and the helicopter wing gained Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks from 8 February 2011 after an order for nine in 2007. A new air base at Sakhir opened on 12 January 2010. The fleet lost an F-16C in the Gulf on 27 September 2003, Wikipedia records, its pilot disoriented.
2014–2016: Syria and Yemen
The RBAF went to war twice in a short span. Wikipedia’s article on the US-led intervention in Syria lists Bahrain among the five Arab states that joined the first strikes on the Islamic State there on 22/23 September 2014, and lists its participation as ending in 2016; no Bahraini official account of those sorties was reached for this page. In March 2015 Bahrain joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Al Jazeera, citing Al Arabiya and Saudi military sources, reported eight Bahraini aircraft on the first day of Operation Decisive Storm; Wikipedia, citing Al Arabiya, gives 15 F-16s. On 30 December 2015 a Bahraini F-16 crashed in Jizan near the Yemeni border; the coalition blamed a technical fault and said the pilot was safe. The air force contingent came home in February 2016, according to a Bahrain News Agency report cited by Wikipedia. The Yemen Data Project counts 8,672 civilians killed and 9,741 injured by coalition air raids; public sources do not attribute individual strikes to Bahraini aircraft.
2018–2024: the Block 70 and the Viper helicopter
The present fleet was shaped by two American deals. In September 2017 the State Department approved 19 new F-16V (Block 70) jets and the upgrade of the 20 surviving Block 40s; in June 2018 Bahrain signed for 16 new aircraft, Wikipedia records. Bahrain was the launch customer: two F-16Cs and an F-16D left Greenville, South Carolina, in March 2024 and reached Isa Air Base via Spain, The War Zone reported. In April 2018 the United States notified a sale of 12 Bell AH-1Z Vipers worth an estimated US$911.4 million, confirmed by Bahrain that November; the first six were delivered in mid-2022. Older AH-1E/F Cobras — some modernised by Turkish Aerospace as AH-1FB — remain, and FlightGlobal reported in 2023 that Bahrain wanted 24 ex-US Marine Corps AH-1Ws. The air force is small: about 1,500 people, according to the IISS figure Wikipedia cites.
2026: the war with Iran reaches Bahrain
The war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026 put Bahrain, host of the US Fifth Fleet, in the line of fire. Iranian missiles and drones struck from 1 March, including Manama; the Bahraini government counted two civilians killed and 51 injured, according to the figures Wikipedia cites, and Iran’s foreign minister acknowledged striking the Fifth Fleet headquarters. The BDF said it had intercepted 194 missiles and 515 drones by the April ceasefire, a total that covers ground-based air defences as well as fighters. On 1 April an RBAF F-16D Block 70 shot down two Iranian drones with an AIM-120 and an AIM-9X — the first air-to-air kills claimed for the Block 70, according to Lockheed Martin and The War Zone. Wikipedia lists Bahrain among the Gulf states that later attacked Iran; Bahrain’s official account of any such strikes was not reached. Iran says it is answering attacks launched from territory used against it; Bahrain, with other Gulf states, accuses Tehran of attacking civilian targets. In September 2026 there was still no ceasefire, Al Jazeera reported.
The Royal Bahraini Air Force in numbers
Servicio
- Nombre nativo
- سلاح الجو الملكي البحرينيArabic Wikipedia’s title for the service. The BDF’s own page heads it simply "Air" (al-Jaw) and uses Royal Bahraini Air Force in English. It was the BDF Air Wing from 1976/77 and the Bahrain Amiri Air Force from 1987 until the 2002 renaming
- Fundado
- 8 May 1976The BDF says formation was ordered on 8 May 1976; the first helicopters arrived on 5 February 1977, which is why 1977 is also given. Independent branch from 1987
- Parte de
- Bahrain Defence ForceSupreme Commander: King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Commander-in-Chief of the BDF: Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, according to Wikipedia
- Base principal
- Isa Air BaseHome of the fighter and training wings. Helicopters at Riffa, the royal flight at Sakhir, support at Muharraq, according to Wikipedia. A separate air force headquarters location was not confirmed in an official source
- Comandante
- Air Vice Marshal Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al KhalifaNamed by Wikipedia; not confirmed on an official BDF page reached for this dataset. Date of appointment not confirmed
- Minister of Defence Affairs
- Abdulla bin Hasan Al NuaimiAccording to Wikipedia’s BDF article
Fortaleza
- Personal
- Aproximadamente 1.500IISS Military Balance 2023 figure as cited by Wikipedia; the BDF as a whole is put at about 40,400 active
- Aviones de combate
-
- F-16C/D Block 70 — 16 ordered, deliveries from March 2024
- F-16C/D Block 40 — about 20 (22 bought), to be upgraded
- F-5E/F Tiger II — about 12, mainly in a training role
Counts from FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2026 as cited by Wikipedia; Block 70 delivery total by October 2026 not confirmed
- Helicópteros
-
- AH-1Z Viper — 12
- AH-1E/F Cobra — about 22
- Bell 212/412 — about 22
- UH-60M Black Hawk — 8 (9 ordered)
- Bell 505 — 3
- Bo 105 — 4
FlightGlobal 2026 figures as cited by Wikipedia
- Zapatos de deporte
-
- BAE Hawk Mk 129 — 6
- Slingsby T67M-260 Firefly — 3
With the F-5F and F-16D also used for training
- Transporte
-
- C-130J Hercules — 2 (ex-RAF)
- Cessna 208 — 1
One ex-RAF C-130J was in service by December 2018 with a second on order
- Presupuesto de defensa
- About US$1.5 billion (2023)Whole BDF, 3.3% of GDP, as cited by Wikipedia
Infraestructura
- bases aéreas
-
- Isa Air Base (opened 2 February 1993)
- Riffa Air Base
- Sakhir Air Base (opened 12 January 2010)
- Muharraq (support)
Opening dates from the BDF
- escuadrones voladores
- About 11Wikipedia lists 1st to 10th and 22nd squadrons across fighter, helicopter, training and transport wings; F-16.net lists 1 and 2 Tactical Fighter Squadrons on the F-16
- presencia extranjera
- US forcesBahrain has hosted US forces since the 1990–91 Gulf war under a 1992 defence agreement; Naval Support Activity Bahrain (US Fifth Fleet) was heavily damaged by Iranian strikes in 2026
- Runways at Isa
- Two parallel runways: 15L/33R, 3,800 m, and 15R/33L, 3,678 mBahrain eAIP, AIRAC 02/26; Wikipedia’s infobox lists only the 3,800 m runway
How the Royal Bahraini Air Force is organised
A branch of the Bahrain Defence Force of about 1,500 people, with a Fighter Wing and a Training Wing at Isa, a Helicopter Wing at Riffa and a transport squadron at Sakhir. The F-16 is the core: about 20 surviving Block 40s from the 1990s and 16 Block 70s ordered in 2018, of which Bahrain, the launch customer, received the first in 2024. Wikipedia counts about 11 flying squadrons, numbered 1 to 10 and 22; FlightGlobal’s 2026 figures, as cited by Wikipedia, are used for fleet numbers.
Royal Bahraini Air Force
One of the branches of the Bahrain Defence Force, separate since 1987, with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as Supreme Commander. Wikipedia names Air Vice Marshal Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Khalifa as commander; he was not confirmed on an official BDF page and the date of his appointment was not found. Isa Air Base is the main base; a separate headquarters location was not confirmed in an official source.
Fighter Wing (1 Fighter Wing)
F-16.net places 1 Fighter Wing at Isa with the 1st and 2nd Tactical Fighter Squadrons on the F-16C/D Block 40, the second also the operational conversion unit; about 20 of the 22 bought survive. The first F-16 Block 70s, of 16 ordered, arrived in 2024, and which squadron flies them was not confirmed in a source reached.
6.º Escuadrón
Bahrain’s first jet squadron, formed at Muharraq in 1985 with the F-5E/F Tiger II, according to Wikipedia, which now lists it at Isa under the Fighter Wing; the date of the move was not found. About 12 F-5E/Fs remain, listed by FlightGlobal as trainers.
Training Wing
The 4th Squadron flies three Slingsby T67M-260 Fireflies for basic training and the 5th Squadron six BAE Hawk Mk 129s for advanced jet training, according to Wikipedia; the BDF dates the Hawk’s entry to 26 February 2007. The F-5F and F-16D are also used for training.
Ala de helicópteros
Five squadrons at Riffa, where the air force began with Bo 105s in 1977, according to Wikipedia: the 22nd with 12 AH-1Z Vipers delivered from 2022, the 8th and 9th with older AH-1 Cobras, the 3rd with UH-60M Black Hawks and Bell 212/412s, and the 10th with the Bo 105.
7th Transport Squadron and the Bahrain Amiri Royal Flight
The 7th Transport Squadron flies two ex-RAF C-130J Hercules, the first in service by December 2018, from Sakhir, Bahrain’s newest air base, according to Wikipedia; the royal flight there operates Sikorsky S-92 helicopters for VVIP transport.
What the Royal Bahraini Air Force flies today
Cada tipo está sujeto a cargos, vinculado a su página en el Libro de las Bestias, cuando existe. Las cifras corresponden a aeronaves registradas, no a aeronaves disponibles en un día determinado.
| Tipo | Role | En servicio | Desde | Unidades | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70En servicio | luchador polivalente | 16 | 2024 | 16 ordered in June 2018 (19 approved by the State Department in 2017). How many had been delivered by October 2026 was not confirmed. | ||
| General Dynamics F-16C/D Block 40En servicio | luchador polivalente | 20 | 1990 | 22 bought: 12 under Peace Crown I (8 C, 4 D) and 10 under Peace Crown II. Two lost (2003, 2015); FlightGlobal 2026 lists 20. | ||
| Northrop F-5E/F Tiger IIEn servicio | Fighter, now lead-in training | 12 | 1985 | FlightGlobal 2026 figure as cited by Wikipedia, listed under trainers. The number originally delivered was not confirmed. | ||
| BAE Systems Hawk Mk 129En servicio | Entrenador a reacción avanzado | 6 | 2006 | Seis. | ||
| Slingsby T67M-260 FireflyEn servicio | Entrenador básico | 3 | Tres. | |||
| Lockheed Martin C-130J HérculesEn servicio | Transporte táctico | 2 | 2018 | Two ex-RAF aircraft per FlightGlobal 2026 as cited by Wikipedia; one was in service by December 2018 with a second on order. | ||
| Cessna 208 CaravanEn servicio | Transporte de utilidad | 1 | Uno. | |||
| Bell AH-1Z ViperEn servicio | Helicóptero de ataque | 12 | 2022 | 12 ordered November 2018; first six delivered mid-2022, production finished December 2022. | ||
| Bell AH-1E/F Cobra (incl. AH-1FB)En servicio | Helicóptero de ataque | 22 | About 22 per FlightGlobal 2026 as cited by Wikipedia. | |||
| Sikorsky UH-60M Black HawkEn servicio | Helicóptero utilitario | 8 | 2011 | Nine ordered in 2007; eight listed by FlightGlobal 2026. | ||
| Bell 212 and 412En servicio | Helicóptero utilitario | 22 | About 22 combined per FlightGlobal 2026 as cited by Wikipedia. | |||
| Bell 505 Jet Ranger XEn servicio | Helicóptero de entrenamiento y utilitario ligero | 3 | 2023 | Tres. | ||
| MBB Bo 105En servicio | Helicóptero ligero | 4 | 1977 | Four listed by FlightGlobal 2026 as cited by Wikipedia. |
Bajo pedido
| Tipo | Ordenado | Primera entrega | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70Bajo pedido | 16 | 2024 | Ordered June 2018; first three delivered March 2024. The number still to come in October 2026 was not confirmed. The 2017 approval also covers upgrading the 20 Block 40s to F-16V. | |
| Bell AH-1W SuperCobra (ex-US Marine Corps)Bajo pedido | 24 | FlightGlobal reported on 30 March 2023 that Bahrain sought 24 surplus AH-1Ws (about US$350 million, per Wikipedia). Whether a transfer was concluded was not confirmed. |
Where the Royal Bahraini Air Force flies from
Los pines negros son bases activas. Isa Air Base in the south of the main island was built for the F-16 and is home to the fighters and jet trainers; the helicopters fly from Riffa, the transports and royal flight from Sakhir, opened in 2010. Muharraq, today Bahrain International Airport, was RAF Bahrain and RAF Muharraq from 1943 to 1971 and is listed for that history and its military users. Riffa is not in the Bahrain AIP; entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| Base | OACI | Estado | Pista | Unidades y aeronaves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IsaSouthern Governorate | OBBS | Activo | 15L/33R3.800 mhormigón y asfalto15R/33L3,678 m |
|
| MuharraqBahrain International AirportMuharraq Governorate | OBBI | Activo | 12L/30R3,964 m12R/30L2.530 m |
|
| RiffaSouthern Governorate | Activo |
|
||
| SakhirSouthern Governorate | OBKH | Activo | 17/353.200 m |
|
Ninguna base aérea coincide con esa búsqueda.
Who is stationed where in the Royal Bahraini Air Force
Unidades voladoras por base, unidades actuales primero. Bahraini squadrons are numbered rather than named: the 1st and 2nd Tactical Fighter Squadrons fly the F-16, the 6th the F-5, the 4th and 5th train pilots, and the 3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th and 22nd fly helicopters. The US Air Force, US Marine Corps and RAF units that flew from Bahraini bases are listed and marked as not Bahraini. Squadron-to-base allocations rest largely on Wikipedia and F-16.net, and the entries say so.
- Fighter Wing (1 Fighter Wing)Ala de cazas · activa
- F-16C/D Block 40 and Block 70, F-5E/F Tiger II
- 1st Tactical Fighter SquadronEscuadrón de cazas · activo
- F-16C/D Block 40
- 2nd Tactical Fighter SquadronEscuadrón de cazas · activo
- F-16C/D Block 40
- 6.º EscuadrónEscuadrón de cazas · activo
- F-5E/F Tiger II
- 4.º EscuadrónEscuadrón de entrenamiento · activo
- Slingsby T67M-260 Firefly
- 5th SquadronEscuadrón de entrenamiento · activo
- BAE Hawk Mk 129
- 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), USAF1990–1991
- F-4G Phantom II
- Marine Aircraft Group 11, USMC1990–1991
- F/A-18A/C/D Hornet, A-6E Intruder, EA-6B Prowler, KC-130
- 366th Air Expeditionary Wing, USAF1997–1998
- F-15C, F-15E, F-16, B-1B, KC-135
- Helicopter Wing (3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th and 22nd Squadrons)Ala de helicóptero · activa
- AH-1Z Viper (22nd Squadron), AH-1E/F and TAH-1P Cobra (8th and 9th Squadrons)
- 7th Transport SquadronEscuadrón de transporte · activo
- C-130J Hércules
- Bahrain Amiri Royal FlightRoyal and VIP flight · active
- Sikorsky S-92 (VVIP)
- Aviation Support Unit Bahrain, US NavyAviation support unit · foreign
- 6th Squadron (formation base)1985–
- F-5E/F Tiger II
- Royal Air Force squadrons and detachments (RAF Bahrain / RAF Muharraq)1943–1971
- Consolidated Catalina (No. 212 Sqn and No. 413 Sqn RCAF detachments), de Havilland Vampire FB.9 (No. 73 Sqn detachment, 1954), Hawker Hunter FGA.9 and FR.10 (Nos. 8 and 208 Sqns, 1961), Blackburn Beverley C.1 (No. 30 Sqn, 1964–1967), Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1 (No. 105 Sqn, 1967–1968), Hawker Siddeley Andover C.1 (No. 84 Sqn, 1970–1971)
No se encontró ninguna unidad que coincida con esa búsqueda.
Royal Bahraini Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
1 November: the national guard formed in 1968 becomes the Bahrain Defence Force.
8 May: formation of the air force ordered, according to the BDF.
5 February: the first aircraft, Bo 105 helicopters, arrive; the BDF Air Wing begins flying from Riffa.
12 December: the F-5 Tiger II enters service, according to the BDF.
The air wing becomes a separate branch, the Bahrain Amiri Air Force; the Peace Crown F-16 order (12 Block 40) is placed.
23 March: first F-16s delivered, flown by Bahraini pilots; 28 May: in service, the first F-16s in the Gulf.
25 January: Bahraini F-16s and F-5s fly their first Desert Storm missions; 303 sorties by 28 February according to Arabic Wikipedia.
2 February: Shaikh Isa Air Base officially opened.
Peace Crown II completes: ten more F-16 Block 40s, for 22 in all.
Bahrain becomes a kingdom and the service is renamed the Royal Bahraini Air Force.
26 February: Hawk Mk 129 trainers added; nine UH-60Ms ordered.
12 January: Sakhir Air Base opened.
22/23 September: Bahrain joins the first US-led strikes on the Islamic State in Syria, according to Wikipedia.
26 March: Bahraini aircraft join Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen; 30 December: an F-16 crashes in Jizan, pilot safe.
June: 16 F-16 Block 70s ordered; November: 12 AH-1Z Vipers confirmed.
Mid-year: first six AH-1Z delivered.
March: the first three F-16 Block 70s fly from Greenville to Isa Air Base.
28 February: war with Iran begins; Iranian missiles and drones hit Bahrain. 1 April: an F-16D Block 70 shoots down two Iranian drones.
Every war the Royal Bahraini Air Force has fought
Salidas y pérdidas donde consta en el registro, y un espacio en blanco honesto donde no.
- Guerra del Golfo 1991 Defensive patrols, then strike missions with the coalition; Bahraini bases opened to coalition forces
- Air campaign against the Islamic State in Syria 2014–2016 Joined the first US-led strikes on the Islamic State in Syria
- Saudi-led intervention in Yemen 2015–2016 Air strikes as part of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah)
- 2026 Iran war 2026– Air defence of Bahrain against Iranian missiles and drones, with US forces; Wikipedia lists Bahrain among Gulf states that later attacked Iran
Royal Bahraini Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Royal Bahraini Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Esta lista se actualiza automáticamente: las nuevas historias de Afterburner aparecen aquí de forma automática.
Everything people ask about the Royal Bahraini Air Force
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What fighter jets does Bahrain fly?
Was Bahrain the first Gulf country to fly the F-16?
Has a Bahraini F-16 shot anything down?
Did the Royal Bahraini Air Force fight in the Gulf War?
Did Bahrain take part in the war in Yemen?
What happened to Bahrain in the 2026 Iran war?
Which helicopters does the Royal Bahraini Air Force fly?
Where are Bahrain’s air bases?
Read the aircraft the Royal Bahraini Air Force flew
Cada tipo tiene una página en el Libro de las Bestias, primero en servicio y luego por el año en que abandonó la flota.
Todos los datos, verificados
- Bahrain Defence Force: Royal Bahraini Air ForceOfficial BDF page. Formation ordered on 8 May 1976; first helicopters 5 February 1977; F-5 from 12 December 1985; F-16 by 28 May 1990; Isa Air Base opened 2 February 1993; Hawk 26 February 2007; Sakhir Air Base 12 January 2010; UH-60M 8 February 2011; part in the liberation of Kuwait.
- F-16.net: F-16 users – BahrainPeace Crown I (1987): 8 F-16C and 4 F-16D Block 40, first four arrived 23 May 1990 flown by Bahraini pilots; Peace Crown II (1998): US$303 million for ten Block 40, delivered by 2000; defensive missions from 25 January 1991, offensive from the next day; Block 70 deal and Block 40 upgrade.
- F-16.net: Royal Bahraini Air Force units1 Fighter Wing at Shaikh Isa AB: 1 Tactical Fighter Squadron (multirole) and 2 Tactical Fighter Squadron (multirole/OCU), both F-16C/D Block 40.
- The War Zone: First Block 70 F-16s Are Out For Delivery (6/7 March 2024)Two F-16C and one F-16D Block 70 left Greenville, South Carolina, in March 2024 and staged through Morón in Spain to Bahrain; 16 ordered; Bahrain had acquired 22 Block 40s under Peace Crown I and II.
- The War Zone: Our First Look At An Armed-Up Block 70 F-16 Viper (12 April 2024)Photographs of a Bahraini Block 70 F-16D in weapons testing in the United States (headline and summary only).
- The War Zone: Bahrain First To Claim F-16 Block 70 Air-To-Air Kills (10 April 2026)1 April 2026: an RBAF F-16D Block 70 shot down two Iranian drones with one AIM-120 and one AIM-9X; Lockheed Martin post of 9 April 2026; BDF figure of 194 missiles and 515 drones intercepted from 28 February to the April ceasefire; Bahrain launch customer, first jets to Isa in March 2024.
- The War Zone: Iran Launches New Attacks On Kuwait, Bahrain (updated 3 June 2026)2 June 2026: three Iranian ballistic missiles at Bahrain intercepted by US and Bahraini air defences (CENTCOM); Interior Ministry siren alert; IRIB justification.
- The War Zone: search results for BahrainFinding aid: index of TWZ articles on Bahrain, including the 28 February 2026 report of Iranian strikes on the US 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
- Al Jazeera: Iran-GCC summit: What’s behind the meeting, why is Bahrain not attending? (13 September 2026)Bahrain has borne the brunt of Iranian attacks since February; no ceasefire in place in September 2026; Bahrain’s refusal to attend; Iranian foreign ministry position; Bahrain–Iran relations severed since 2016.
- Al Jazeera: ‘Blew the hell out of it’: How Iran damaged US bases in Bahrain, Jordan (11 September 2026)Naval Support Activity Bahrain repeatedly struck February–June 2026; WSJ satellite analysis; acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao quoted; Iranian foreign minister acknowledged striking the 5th Fleet HQ.
- Al Jazeera: Bahrain news indexFinding aid: September 2026 headlines, including Bahrain declining Iran’s proposed Hormuz meeting (12 September 2026).
- Al Jazeera: Saudi and Arab allies bomb Houthi positions in Yemen (26 March 2015)Bahrain contributed eight aircraft, according to Al Arabiya citing Saudi military sources.
- Middle East Eye: Bahrain F-16 crashes in Saudi near Yemen border after technical issue (30 December 2015)Coalition statement via SPA: a Bahraini F-16 crashed in Jizan on 30 December 2015 from a technical error; pilot safe; three Bahraini soldiers killed near the border days earlier.
- Library of Congress Country Studies: Persian Gulf States (1993) – Bahrain, foreign relationsBahrain allowed US forces to use its naval and air facilities in 1990–91 and signed a defence agreement with the United States in 1992.
- Bahrain eAIP, AIRAC 02/26 (effective 9 July 2026), AD 2 OBBS Bahrain/Isa AirbaseMinistry of Transportation and Telecommunications; reference point, elevation (139 ft), runways, operator (Royal Bahraini Air Force Air Operations Centre), emergency diversion only, otherwise strictly PPR.
- Bahrain eAIP, AIRAC 02/26 (effective 9 July 2026), AD 2 OBKH Bahrain/Sakhir AirbaseReference point, elevation (76 ft), runway 17/35, operator, PPR.
- Bahrain eAIP, AIRAC 02/26 (effective 9 July 2026), AD 2 OBBI Bahrain InternationalReference point, elevation (8.92 ft), runways; runway 12R/30L listed as not available.
- Bahrain eAIP, AIRAC 02/26 (effective 9 July 2026), AD 1.3 Index to aerodromes and heliportsLists three aerodromes: Isa Airbase and Sakhir Airbase (military) and Bahrain International (civil, military traffic permitted). Riffa is not listed.
- Bahrain Aeronautical Information Management portal (eAIP index)Current and expired eAIP issues.
- GlobalSecurity.org: Shaikh Isa Air Base1990–91 US deployment (about 200 aircraft, 12,000 personnel), US units, 1991 bilateral agreement, 366th AEW deployment of September–October 1997.
- GlobalSecurity.org: Muharraq Airfield, BahrainRAF VC10 tanker of 101 Squadron and Tornados operating from Muharraq in 2000–2002.
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Photographs: Photo: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: United States Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Julian Herzog / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: James from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Robbie Klinkenberg / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Carlos E. Perez S.L / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Clemens Vasters from Viersen, Germany, Germany / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)