Every war the Royal Bahraini Air Force has fought
Bahrain’s part in the Syrian and Yemeni campaigns rests largely on Wikipedia and press reports; accounts of how many jets it sent to Yemen range from eight to 15. The Yemen Data Project’s count of civilians killed by coalition air raids concerns the coalition as a whole, and public sources do not attribute individual strikes to Bahraini aircraft. In the 2026 war Iran says it is striking territory used to attack it, while Bahrain, with other Gulf states, accuses Tehran of attacking civilian targets; the BDF’s interception totals include ground-based air defences, and Wikipedia’s report of Bahraini strikes inside Iran is not confirmed in an official Bahraini account. Where a consolidated sortie or loss figure exists in the official record it is given here; where accounts disagree, the range is shown and the disagreement named. Blank cells are blank because no figure could be verified, not because the fighting was small.
From Desert Storm in 1991 to Iranian drones over Bahrain in 2026.
| Conflito | Anos | Contra | Aeronave principal | Missões | Aeronave perdida | |
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| Guerra do GolfoOperação Tempestade no DesertoBahrain Amiri Air Force | 1991 | Iraque | F-16C/D Block 40, F-5E/F | 303 | ||
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Defensive patrols, then strike missions with the coalition; Bahraini bases opened to coalition forces. Bahrain’s first F-16s had been in service for barely eight months when the air war against Iraq began. F-16.net records that Bahraini F-16s and F-5s flew defensive missions from 25 January 1991 and began offensive operations the next day. Arabic Wikipedia counts 303 combat sorties up to the ceasefire on 28 February. On the ground, Bahraini troops served in the GCC contingent in a support role, and the island became a logistics hub: the Library of Congress country study notes that Bahrain let US forces use its naval and air facilities, and Wikipedia records that coalition crews nicknamed Shaikh Isa "Shakey’s Pizza". Resultado Coalition victory; Kuwait liberated. The BDF lists the liberation of Kuwait among the air force’s operations. Sortie totals come from Wikipedia, not an official Bahraini or US source.
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| Air campaign against the Islamic State in SyriaOperação Resolução InerenteForça Aérea Real do Bahrein | 2014–2016 | Estado Islâmico | F-16 | 0 | ||
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Joined the first US-led strikes on the Islamic State in Syria. Wikipedia’s article on the US-led intervention in Syria lists Bahrain with Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the Arab states that joined the United States in the first strikes on the Islamic State in Syria on the night of 22/23 September 2014, and lists Bahraini participation as ending in 2016. The aircraft type is not stated there; the F-16 is the only Bahraini strike jet of the period. A primary US or Bahraini statement was not reached for this dataset. Resultado Bahrain’s participation is listed by Wikipedia as ending in 2016. Single, secondary source; aircraft type inferred.
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| Intervenção liderada pela Arábia Saudita no IêmenOperation Decisive Storm and Restoring HopeForça Aérea Real do Bahrein | 2015–2016 | Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) and forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh | F-16C/D Bloco 40 | 1 | ||
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Air strikes as part of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah). Bahrain joined the coalition that Saudi Arabia led into Yemen on 26 March 2015 to restore President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi’s government. How many jets it sent is uncertain: Al Jazeera, citing Al Arabiya and Saudi military sources, reported eight Bahraini aircraft on the first day, while Wikipedia, also citing Al Arabiya, gives 15 F-16s operating from Saudi bases. Bahraini special forces (Task Force 11) also deployed. On 30 December 2015 a Bahraini F-16 crashed in Jizan near the Yemeni border; the coalition said a technical error was to blame and that the pilot was safe. The air contingent came home in February 2016. The coalition’s air campaign has been widely criticised: the Yemen Data Project counts 8,672 civilians killed and 9,741 injured by coalition air raids,. That count concerns the coalition as a whole; public sources reached do not attribute particular strikes to Bahraini aircraft. Resultado The air contingent returned to Bahrain in February 2016, according to a BNA report cited by Wikipedia. The wider war continued. Aircraft numbers disagree (8–15); the end date rests on a BNA report cited by Wikipedia, not read directly.
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| 2026 Iran warIranian missile and drone attacks on BahrainForça Aérea Real do Bahrein | 2026– | Irã | F-16C/D Block 70, F-16C/D Block 40 | 0 | ||
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Air defence of Bahrain against Iranian missiles and drones, with US forces; Wikipedia lists Bahrain among Gulf states that later attacked Iran. The war began on 28 February 2026 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran answered with missiles and drones on Gulf states hosting US forces; Bahrain, home of the US Fifth Fleet, was hit from 1 March, including Manama. Iran’s foreign minister acknowledged striking the Fifth Fleet headquarters, and Al Jazeera, citing a Wall Street Journal satellite analysis, reports extensive damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain between February and June. The BDF said it intercepted 194 missiles and 515 drones between the start of the war and the April ceasefire, The War Zone reported; the figure covers ground-based air defences as well as fighters, and an earlier figure of 95 missiles and 164 drones (9 March) is cited by Wikipedia. On 1 April an RBAF F-16D Block 70 shot down two Iranian drones that had got past ground defences, firing one AIM-120 and one AIM-9X, in what Lockheed Martin called the first combat kills of the Block 70. On 2 June CENTCOM said US and Bahraini air defences intercepted three more ballistic missiles. Wikipedia lists Bahrain, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as having attacked Iran after strikes on its territory; no official Bahraini account of such strikes was reached. Iran says it is striking territories used to attack it; Bahrain, with other Gulf states, accuses Tehran of attacking civilian targets, and declined to attend an Iran-GCC meeting in September 2026. Resultado Continuing: a ceasefire of 8 April and a deal of 28 June both broke down, and Al Jazeera reported no ceasefire in place in September 2026. A war in progress: interception totals are Bahraini government figures and change over time; reports of Bahraini strikes inside Iran are not confirmed in a primary source reached here.
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Nada corresponde a essa pesquisa.
Cada número, verificado
- Forças de Defesa do Bahrein: Força Aérea Real do BahreinPágina oficial da BDF. Formação ordenada em 8 de maio de 1976; primeiros helicópteros em 5 de fevereiro de 1977; F-5 a partir de 12 de dezembro de 1985; F-16 em 28 de maio de 1990; Base Aérea de Isa inaugurada em 2 de fevereiro de 1993; Hawk em 26 de fevereiro de 2007; Base Aérea de Sakhir em 12 de janeiro de 2010; UH-60M em 8 de fevereiro de 2011; participação na libertação do Kuwait.
- F-16.net: Usuários do F-16 – BahreinPeace Crown I (1987): 8 F-16C e 4 F-16D Block 40, os quatro primeiros chegaram em 23 de maio de 1990 e foram pilotados por pilotos do Bahrein; Peace Crown II (1998): US$ $303 milhões por dez Block 40, entregues até 2000; missões defensivas a partir de 25 de janeiro de 1991, ofensivas a partir do dia seguinte; acordo Block 70 e modernização Block 40.
- Zona de Guerra: Bahrein é o primeiro país a reivindicar abates ar-ar com o F-16 Block 70 (10 de abril de 2026)1 de abril de 2026: um F-16D Block 70 da Força Aérea Real do Bahrein abateu dois drones iranianos com um míssil AIM-120 e um AIM-9X; publicação da Lockheed Martin de 9 de abril de 2026; dados da Força de Defesa do Bahrein indicam 194 mísseis e 515 drones interceptados entre 28 de fevereiro e o cessar-fogo de abril; Bahrein é o cliente de lançamento, com os primeiros jatos chegando à Ilha de Isa em março de 2024.
- Zona de Guerra: Irã lança novos ataques contra Kuwait e Bahrein (atualizado em 3 de junho de 2026)2 de junho de 2026: três mísseis balísticos iranianos no Bahrein são interceptados pelas defesas aéreas dos EUA e do Bahrein (CENTCOM); alerta de sirene do Ministério do Interior; justificativa da IRIB.
- 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: 'Destruiu tudo': Como o Irã danificou bases americanas no Bahrein e na Jordânia (11 de setembro de 2026)A Base de Apoio Naval do Bahrein foi alvo de ataques repetidos entre fevereiro e junho de 2026; análise de satélite do WSJ; o secretário interino da Marinha, Hung Cao, foi citado; o ministro das Relações Exteriores do Irã reconheceu ter atacado o quartel-general da 5ª Frota.
- 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.
- Estudos de países da Biblioteca do Congresso: Estados do Golfo Pérsico (1993) – Bahrein, relações exterioresO Bahrein permitiu que as forças americanas utilizassem suas instalações navais e aéreas em 1990-91 e assinou um acordo de defesa com os Estados Unidos em 1992.
Dados verificados em 01/10/2026. Back to the Royal Bahraini Air Force.