Royal Navy of Oman
| Royal Navy of Oman | |
|---|---|
| البحرية السلطانية العمانية | |
 Naval Ensign of Oman | |
| Founded | origin 807 CE. formal 1650 CE.[1] 1970 (official)[2] |
| Country |  Oman |
| Type | Navy |
| Size | 4,200 personnel |
| Garrison/HQ | Muratafat Al Matar Muscat |
| Colors | Blue and Yellow |
| Equipment | 5corvettes 12patrol vessels 3amphibious warfare vessels 2auxiliary ships |
| Insignia | |
| Naval Ensign of Oman |  |
TheRoyal Navy of Oman(Arabic:البحرية السلطانية العمانية), abbreviatedRNO,is the maritime component of theRoyal Armed Forcesof theSultanate of Oman.Given its long coastline and strategic location along theIndian Ocean,as well as being close to theStrait of Hormuz,the Royal Navy is one of the priorities of thegovernment of Oman.It has a fleet of gunboats, fast missile boats and support, training, cargo and hydro-graphical survey vessels, which can be deployed to defend the territorial waters and coastline of Oman as well as protect tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Royal Navy's headquarters are inSeeb,near theMuscat International Airport.A modernization program is ongoing, with the objective of creating a first-rate fleet.[3]Similarly, theRoyal Oman Police's fleet,which operates smaller range boats and patrol crafts, is being updated due to raising tensions in the region.
The origin of the Royal Navy of Oman is traceable to the reign of ImamGhassan bin Abdullah(807–824 CE). He was the first ruler of Oman to possess a navy, with a standing royal navy of Oman being formally established in 1650.[4]
History[edit]
The origin of the Royal Navy of Oman can be traced to the reign of ImamGhassan bin Abdullah(807–824 CE). He was the first ruler of Oman to possess a navy. He commissioned ships in order to fend off pirates operating along the western shores of theIndian Oceanwho were conducting raids along the coast of theArabian Peninsula.[1]
The Omani Navy dominated the Western Indian Ocean for many years thereafter until thearrival of the Portuguesethat changed the balance of sea power in the region. Beginning in 1508 with the invasion of Oman by the Portuguese the conflict came to end in 1515 with the loss of Oman’s maritime trade routes.[1]
Beginning in 1624, Oman started to recover its lost naval ports underNasir bin Murshid(1624–1649), andSultan bin Saif(1649–1688); the objective of the Omani navy, to was force out the Portuguese from their bases in Oman, was achieved by 1650.[5]
The Royal Oman Navy fell into another period of neglect until the reign ofAhmed bin Said.(1749–1783). He began to rebuild the Omani Navy and had commissioned a fleet of four ships, that were equipped with 40 guns. Additionally, he had 25 coastal boats built. A stronger navy was rebuilt between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Its main purpose was to then protect Oman’s overseas territories.[5]
During the reign ofSultan Said bin Sultan(1806–1856) the navy grew larger. The Sultan had sent several Royal Omani Navy ships on specific commercial and diplomatic visits, first toNew Yorkin 1840 the Al Sultanah transportedAhmed bin Al-Noman Al-Ka’abiwho was the first Arab envoy sent to theUnited States.[1][6]
From 1862, theSultanate of Omanlapsed again into a period of steady decline due to internal political wrangling and along with it the Royal Oman Navy. In 1888 Oman became aprotectorateof theBritish Empire,which it would remain for almost 100 years. In 1962, theDhofar Rebellionerupted, pittingcommunistinsurgents against the Omani government. Although small, the Omani Navy undertook an important role in this conflict by providing naval gunfire support and bombarding insurgent positions inland.[5]
During the late 1960s, the Royal Oman Navy existed as the naval branch of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) instead of as a separate standing navy. In 1971 the British Protectorate of Oman came to an end, and following the discovery of oil fields leading to the sale of oil abroad, that provided much-needed investment in modernizing the navy and growing the existing fleet.[5]
The main naval base moved from Sultan Bin Ahmed Naval Base inMuscatto Said bin Sultan Naval Base inWudam Al Sahil,nearAl-Musannah,which opened in 1988. One of the largest engineering projects in Oman, it serves as a homeport for the fleet and includes training facilities as well as repair bays. TheSultan Qaboos Naval Academy,located at the base, provided instruction for officers and enlisted personnel, as well as specific branch training. Originally, most of theofficerswereBritish,withnon-commissioned officersbeing mostlyPakistani.However, by 1980, most of the officers wereOmani,though British and Pakistani technicians remained. In 1992, the Royal Oman Navy had a strength of 3,000 personnel.
The Royal Oman Navy does not have a marine corps or anynaval infantryformations, though it has multiple amphibious warfare ships. A modernization program is ongoing in order to protect the coastline as well as the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The BritishRoyal Navy,in 2011, helped train corvette crews with itsFlag Officer Sea Training.[3]
Ships[edit]
| Class | Photo | Type | Displacement | Ships | Hull Number | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corvettes (5) | |||||||||
| Khareef class | 
|
Corvette | 2,660 tons | Al Shamikh | Q40 | BAE Systems | 22 July 2009 | October 2013 | 8 MM-40 anti-ship missiles, 12 VL Mica anti-aircraft missiles |
| Al Rahmani | Q41 | 23 July 2010 | March 2014 | ||||||
| Al Rasikh | Q42 | 27 June 2011 | May 2014 | ||||||
| Qahir class | 1,450 tons | Qahir Al Amwaj | C31 (ex Q31) | Vosper Thornycroft | 21 September 1994 | 3 September 1996 | 8 MM-40 anti-ship missiles, 1 × 8 Crotale anti-aircraft missiles
Muheet Project | ||
| Al Mua'zzar | C32 (ex Q32) | 26 September 1995 | 13 April 1997 | ||||||
| Patrol Vessels (12 in service) | |||||||||
| Al-Ofouq class | 
|
Patrol vessel | 1,100 tons | Al-Seeb | Z20 | ST Marine | 29 January 2014 | 31 March 2015 | 1 × 76 mmOto Melaracannon, 2 × 30 mm Oto Melara Marlin-WS |
| Al-Shinas | Z21 | 14 June 2014 | |||||||
| Sadh | Z22 | 17 September 2014 | |||||||
| Khassab | Z23 | 24 June 2016 | 2 August 2016 | ||||||
| Province class | Fast attack craft | 390 tons | Dhofar | B10 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1982 | 6–8 MM-40 anti-ship missiles | ||
| Al Sharquiyah | B11 | 1983 | |||||||
| Al Bat'nah | B12 | 1984 | |||||||
| Mussandam | B14 | 1989 | |||||||
| Al Bushra class | Patrol vessel | 475 tons | Al Bushra | B1 (ex Z1) | CMN | 1995 | Mawj Project | ||
| Al Mansoor | B2 (ex Z2) | 1995 | |||||||
| Al Najah | B3 (ex Z3) | 1996 | |||||||
| Al Mabrukah class | Patrol ship | 785 tons | Al Mabrukah | Q30 (ex A1) | Brooke Marine | 7 April 1970 | 1971 | Former royal yacht converted to training ship; serving as a patrol ship since 1997 | |
| Amphibious Ships (3 in service) | |||||||||
| Fulk Al Salamah class | 
|
Amphibious transport | 10,864 tons | Fulk al Salamah | L3 | Bremer Vulkan | 1987 | 270 troops. Multi-role amphibious transport and general logistics ship. Now assigned to Royal Yacht Squadron | |
| Nasr al Bahr class | 
|
Landing Ship Tank | 2,500 tons full load | Nasr al Bahr | L2 | Brooke Marine | 1984 | 1985 | Equipped with helicopter deck. Capacity for 7 tanks; 240 troops. Laid down in 1982. |
| Al Sultana class | Al Sultana | A2 | Netherlands | 1975 | |||||
| Auxiliaries (2 in service) | |||||||||
| Al Mubshir class | High speed support vessel | Al Mubshir | S11 | Austal | 20 October 2015 | 20 May 2016 | |||
| Al Naasir | S12 | April 2016 | 8 September 2016 | ||||||
Missiles[edit]
- 50 VT-1CrotaleNG SAMs
- 162ExocetMM-40(122 Block-1+ 40 Block-2)
- ExocetMM-38
- HarpoonBlock-II
- VL Mica-SAM
Electronics[edit]
- MASS Ship protection system
- 3 x SMART-S MK-II Ship sensors
- 2 x MW-8 Air search radar
- 5 x Sting fire control radar
- 2 x DRBV-51C fire control radar
- 3 x RA-20S air search radar
- 4 x 9LV radar
- 3 x CEROS-200 radar
Future[edit]
Procurement[edit]
New Research Vessel[edit]
The Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) has contracted with the US Pentagon through a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to provide a new research vessel based on theRV F.G. Walton Smith,aUniversity of Miamivessel. DeJong & Lebet, Naval Architects, provided the US Navy with Contract Drawings and Engineering.
Thoma-Sea ShipbuildersofLockport, Louisianareportedly won a $7.3m contract to build a Catamaran Hull Hydrographic Survey Vessel for the government of Oman, according to a report. This vessel will be built by Thoma-Sea. Thoma-Sea’s partner in this proposal is Technology Associates Inc. (TAI) of New Orleans in Louisiana. TAI prepared the proposal for Thoma-Sea and will be in charge of performing the Design, Program Management and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) functions for Thoma-Sea. The Sultanate of Oman will receive this 90-foot vessel, which is designed to conduct hydrographic and environmental surveys of harbors and bays, and will work in Oman’s territorial waters, according to the release.[7]
Oman has also issued RFI for a new ‘hydrographic survey vessel’. US Naval Sea Systems Command is promoting ship design based on the Walton Smith Catamaran design.
In Oman, South Korean defence minister Song Young-moo met with his counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi. They spoke highly about the South Korean destroyers, Oman signed a deal in 2018 for an unknown number of ships and other arms including tanks.
Former ships[edit]
- FourBrooke Marinepatrol craft
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abcdSulaiman Aljabri. p.182.
- ^"About Royal Navy of Oman".Oman Ministry of Defence.Retrieved4 May2021.
- ^abJohn Pike."Royal Oman Navy (RON)".Retrieved24 December2014.
- ^Sulaiman Aljabri, Khamis Salim (18 June 2012)."Omans Maritime Doctrine: a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Arab and Islamic Studies"(PDF).ore.exeter.ac.uk.Exeter: University of Exeter. p. 182.Retrieved30 June2019.
- ^abcdSulaiman Aljabri. p. 182.
- ^Marr, Timothy (2006).The Cultural Roots of American Islamicism.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 177.ISBN9780521852937.
- ^"Thoma-Sea Wins Navy Deal".Marine Link.July 2010.Retrieved24 December2014.
