The Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) was formerly known as Bahrain Ameri Air Force (BAAF) but since the elections of 14 February 2002, the state became a Monarchy and the Armed Forces were renamed accordingly. The air force had 650 personnel in 1992^[1]. Insert non-formatted text here{| style=float:right; |- | paul is so hot sophie loves him |- | |} is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... For the comic series, see Monarchy (comics). ...

History

The air branch of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) was organized in 1977 and began flying helicopters. In 1986, F-5 fighter jets were acquired from the United States. The F-5 Freedom Fighter (or Tiger II) is a low cost entry level supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop in the United States, beginning in 1962. ...

In 1987, the Bahrain Defense Force was reorganized into separate Army, Navy and Air force branches with the Air Wing becoming the Bahrain Amiri Air Force (BAAF). The delivery of a squadron of F-16s from 1990 marked a further increase in the capabilities of the air arm. The new F-16 unit was based at Shaikh Isa AB alongside the F-5s. On 2 August 1990 several aircraft from the Kuwait Air Force were evacuated to Bahrain during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. During the subsequent Gulf War, BAAF F-5s and F-16s first flew defensive missions on 25 January 1991 and began offensive operations the following day. The Gulf War ended on 28 February 1991. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1987: Events January January 1 - US Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphins and US Navy H-3 Sea Kings help rescue people trapped inside the Dupont Plaza hotel Puerto Rico after a fire there on New Years Eve January 7 - French... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American multirole jet fighter aircraft developed by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force. ... The F-5 Freedom Fighter (or Tiger II) is a low cost entry level supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop in the United States, beginning in 1962. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1990: Events Pan American World Airways and Trans World Airlines, both in financial difficulty, transfer their coveted landing rights at London Heathrow Airport to American Airlines and United Airlines. ... The Kuwait Air Force (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the State of Kuwait. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1991: Events January January 16 - American and Continental. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

A second batch of F-16s commenced delivery in 2000. The new aircraft were equipped to carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, first used by the USAF in the Gulf War. The original batch of F-16s received will be upgraded to carry the AMRAAM also. In July 2000, Bahrain signed a deal with BAE Systems to establish a pilot academy based around the Hawk trainer - similar to the NFTC in Canada. Subsequently, orders were placed for Slingsby T.67 Fireflys and BAE Hawk 100 trainers. The first trainers were delivered in October 2006^[2]. This is a list of aviation-related events from 2000: // January 30 - Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, killing 169. ... The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced am-ram), commonly known to air crews as the Slammer, is a modern Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile (AAM) capable of all weather day and night performance. ... The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... Slingsby T67M-260 Firefly of the British Defence Elementary Flying Training School Slingsby T67M Firefly Slingsby Firefly T67C cockpit The Slingsby T-67 Firefly is a two-seat aerobatic training aircraft, built by Slingsby Aviation in Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire, England. ... The BAE Systems (BAE) Hawk is an advanced jet trainer which first flew in 1974 as the Hawker-Siddeley Hawk. ...

Incidents and accidents

One F-16 was lost on 27 September 2003 when Lieutenant Colonel Abdulaziz Snan Al Dossary crashed in the Persian Gulf, 46 miles north of Bahrain^[3]. is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Strength

The RBAF operates a total of 73 aircraft, including 32 jet combat aircraft and 38 helicopters.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[4]	Notes
Agusta-Bell 212	Italy	Utility helicopter	AB212	11
Bell AH-1 Cobra	United States	Attack helicopter	Total AH-1E AH-1P TAH-1P	22 10 6 6
Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	Fighter	Total F-16C F-16D	20 16 4
MBB Bo 105	Germany	Utility helicopter		3	Additional 2 Bo 105CBS-MSS operated by the navy.
Northrop F-5	United States	Fighter	Total F-5E F-5F	12 8 4
Sikorsky S-70	United States	Utility helicopter	UH-60L	2
Slingsby T-67 Firefly	United Kingdom	Trainer	T-67M	3

In addition, the Bahraini police operate 2 Bell 412 helicopters as well as 1 Bell 427. The Bell 212 Twin Huey (also known as the Twin Two-Twelve) is a medium civilian helicopter that first flew in 1968. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The first protype of this famous helicopter gunship took off on September 7. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American multirole jet fighter aircraft developed by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Bo 105 is a light, twin-engine, multi-purpose utility helicopter developed by Bölkow of Stuttgart, Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... The F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and F-5E/F Tiger II are part of a family of widely used light supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop in the United States, beginning in 1960s. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Sikorsky S-70 is a medium-lift military helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Slingsby T67M Firefly The T-67 Firefly is a two seater military training aircraft, built by Slingsby Aviation in Kirbymoorside, Yorkshire, England. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... It has been suggested that CH-146 Griffon be merged into this article or section. ... The Bell Model 427 is a twin-engine civil utility helicopter, a derivative of the Bell Model 206-L4 LongRanger and Model 407. ...

References

1. ^ A Country Study: Bahrain, Library of Congress.
2. ^ "Royal Bahraini Air Force", Scramble on the Web.
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.

Aviation Week & Space Technology (often abbreviated as Aviation Week or AW&ST) is a weekly magazine. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

External link

• - Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF)