Chapter 3: Persian Gulf, Arabian Peninsula

Oman: Fielded Forces

Overview / Army / Navy / Air Force / Other

Overview / Leadership / System Essentials / Infrastructure / Population / Table of Contents

Gunboat of the Royal Oman Navy prepares to transfer an injured crewman

Overview

The Oman military consist of the army, navy, air force, and several small civilian-paramilitary forces. About 15% of the country's GDP accounts for defense spending. The Omani military has a total of 42,900 active duty personnel.

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Army

There are approximately 25,000 personnel in the Omani army. The army is divided into 1 headquarters division, 2 headquarters brigades, 2 armored regiments, 1 armored recce regiment, 4 artillery regiments, 8 infantry regiments, 1 infantry recce regiment, 1 field engineer regiment, and 1 airborne regiment. Regiments in the Omani army are battalion-size.

• MBT: 6 M-60A1, 43 M-60A, 24 Chieftain Mk7/ -15
• Light Tanks: 37 Scorpion, 6 VBC-90
• APC: 6 Spartan, 13 Sultan
• Artillery: 96 105mm, 30 122mm, 24 130mm
• SAMs: Blowpipe, Javelin, SA-7
• AAA: 20mm, 23mm, 60mm

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Navy

The 4,200 members of Oman's navy are headquartered at Muaskar al Murtafaa.

Surface Combatants:

• 1 frigate
• 2 corvettes (commissioning dates will be Dec 95, and Nov 96)
• 4 fast attack craft, missile
• 1 patrol ship (converted yacht)
• 4 inshore patrol craft
• 2 amphibious logistics landing ships
• 3 amphibious mechanized landing craft

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Air Force

Oman's air force uses 3,500 personnel to maintain 45 combat aircraft (plus 10 in storage) and no armed helicopters.

• Ftr Bmbrs: 15 Jaguar Mk1, 1 GR1, 4 T-2
• Ftr Recce: 5 Hunter FGA-73, 2 T-67, 4 Hawk 203
• Security: 11 BAC-167, 7 BN-2 Defender
• Transport: 3 BAC-111, 15 Skyvan 3M, 3 C-130H
• Helicopter: 20 AB-295, 3 AB-206, 3 AB-212, 5 AB-214
• SAMs: 28 Rapier missile systems

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Other

The Royal Guard brigade includes some 4,500 members, and 700 special forces personnel. Additionally there are 150 personnel in the Royal Yacht Squadron, and 250 personnel maintain the Royal Flight Squadron (includes a 747, DC-8, Gulfstream IV, 3 AS-332, and 2 SA-330 aircraft). Other forces include the Tribal Home Guard with 3,500 members, the Coastal Police Guard with 400 members, and the Police Air Wing that fly a 727, 2 DHC-5D, and several other smaller aircraft.

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