The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 2021 to 2025 Middle East
Military - note Bahrain, in 5 editions.
The entry for Bahrain published Military - note in 5 editions of 36, from 2021 to 2025. The text changed in 4 editions. Each is shown as published. Military - note in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 4
- the first edition with it
- 2021
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Military - note” (2021 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024- as of 2021, Bahrain hosted the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which included the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes;
- in 2018, the UK opened a naval support base in Bahrain
- Bahrain has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US;
- MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation;
- while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
as of 2021, Bahrain hosted the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which included the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2018, the UK opened a naval support base in Bahrain
Bahrain has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
- Bahrain hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes;
- in 2018, the UK opened a naval support base in Bahrain
- in addition to the US and UK, Bahrain maintains close security ties to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE);
- both Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising;
- in 2015, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military action to try to restore the Government of Yemen that was ousted by Iranian-backed Huthi rebels, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft
- Bahrain has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US;
- MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation;
- while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments (2022)
as of 2021, Bahrain hosted hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which included includes the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2018, the UK opened a naval support base in Bahrain
in addition to the US and UK, Bahrain maintains close security ties to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE); both Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; in 2015, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military action to try to restore the Government of Yemen that was ousted by Iranian-backed Huthi rebels, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft
Bahrain has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments (2022)
- the BDF is a small, but well-equipped military focused on territorial defense and support to internal security;
- its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and its support to regional terrorist groups;
- the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country;
- in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft;
- the Army’s primary combat units are an armored brigade and a mechanized brigade, plus battalions of royal guards and special forces;
- in a conflict, the Army would be supported by the paramilitary National Guard;
- the Navy’s principal warships are a US-provided secondhand frigate, 2 corvettes acquired from Germany, and a secondhand British offshore patrol vessel;
- the Air Force has small numbers of US-made combat aircraft and attack helicopters Bahrain’s closest security partners are the US and Saudi Arabia;
- it hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes;
- in 2003, the US granted Bahrain Major Non-NATO Ally status, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation;
- Bahraini leaders have said that the security of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”;
- Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising;
- Bahrain also has close security ties to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, particularly Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the UK (2023)
Rewritten: too little of the 2022 text remains to mark the changes.
the BDF is a small, but well-equipped military focused on territorial defense and support to internal security; its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and its support to regional terrorist groups; the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country; in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft; the Army’s primary combat units are an armored brigade and a mechanized brigade, plus battalions of royal guards and special forces; in a conflict, the Army would be supported by the paramilitary National Guard; the Navy’s principal warships are a US-provided secondhand frigate, 2 corvettes acquired from Germany, and a secondhand British offshore patrol vessel; the Air Force has small numbers of US-made combat aircraft and attack helicopters Bahrain’s closest security partners are the US and Saudi Arabia; it hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2003, the US granted Bahrain Major Non-NATO Ally status, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Bahraini leaders have said that the security of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain also has close security ties to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, particularly Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the UK (2023)
- the BDF is a small, but well-equipped military focused on territorial defense and support to internal security;
- its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and Tehran's support to regional terrorist groups;
- the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country;
- in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft Bahrain’s closest security partners are the US and Saudi Arabia;
- it hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes;
- in 2003, the US granted Bahrain Major Non-NATO Ally status, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation;
- Bahraini leaders have said that the security of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”;
- Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising;
- Bahrain also has close security ties to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, particularly Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the UK (2024)
the BDF is a small, but well-equipped military focused on territorial defense and support to internal security; its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and its Tehran's support to regional terrorist groups; the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country; in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft; the Army’s primary combat units are an armored brigade and a mechanized brigade, plus battalions of royal guards and special forces; in a conflict, the Army would be supported by the paramilitary National Guard; the Navy’s principal warships are a US-provided secondhand frigate, 2 corvettes acquired from Germany, and a secondhand British offshore patrol vessel; the Air Force has small numbers of US-made combat aircraft and attack helicopters Bahrain’s closest security partners are the US and Saudi Arabia; it hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2003, the US granted Bahrain Major Non-NATO Ally status, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Bahraini leaders have said that the security of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain also has close security ties to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, particularly Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the UK (2023) (2024)
- the BDF (established 1968) is responsible for territorial defense and support to internal security;
- its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and Tehran's support to regional terrorist groups;
- the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country;
- in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft Bahrain’s closest security partners are Saudi Arabia and the US;
- Bahraini leaders have said that the security ties of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”;
- Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising;
- Bahrain hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5 th Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes;
- Bahrain also has close security ties with the UK, which maintains a naval support facility there
Bahrain hosts the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Unified Maritime Operations Center and is a member of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)
the BDF (established 1968) is a small, but well-equipped military focused on responsible for territorial defense and support to internal security; its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and Tehran's support to regional terrorist groups; the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country; in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft Bahrain’s closest security partners are Saudi Arabia and the US US; Bahraini leaders have said that the security ties of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia; it Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5 th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2003, the US granted Bahrain Major Non-NATO Ally status, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Bahraini leaders have said that the security of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain also has close security ties to other with the UK, which maintains a naval support facility there
Bahrain hosts the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, particularly Kuwait Council's (GCC) Unified Maritime Operations Center and is a member of the United Arab Emirates, as well as Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the UK (2024) GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Bahrain: Military - note.” The World Factbook, 2021–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bahrain/military-note.