View source for Bahrain Defence Force

{{Short description|Combined military forces of Bahrain}}
{{Infobox national military
| name               = Bahrain Defence Force
| native_name        = قوة دفاع البحرين
| image              = [[File:Flag of the Bahrain Defence Force.svg|250px]]
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| image2             = 
| alt2               = 
| caption2           = 
| motto              = 
| founded            = {{Start date and age|1968}}
| current_form       = 
| disbanded          = 
| branches           = {{army|Bahrain}}<br>{{navy|Bahrain}}<br>{{air force|Bahrain}}<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Royal Guard of Bahrain.svg}} [[Royal Guard (Bahrain)|Royal Guard]]<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical Services.svg}} [[Bahrain Royal Medical Services|Royal Medical Services]]
| headquarters       = 
| flying_hours       = 
| website            = {{URL|www.bdf.bh/}}
<!-- Leadership -->
| commander-in-chief = [[Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa]]
| commander-in-chief_title = Supreme Commander
| chief minister     = [[Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa]]
| chief minister_title = Deputy Supreme Commander
| minister           = [[Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa]]
| minister_title     = [[Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force|Commander-in-chief]]
| chief_of_staff     = Abdulla bin Hasan Al Nuaimi
| chief_of_staff_title = Minister of Defence Affairs
| commander          = Theyab bin Saqer Al Noaimi
| commander_title    = Chief of Staff
<!-- Manpower -->
| age                = 
| conscription       = 
| manpower_data      = 
| manpower_age       = 
| available          = 
| available_f        = 
| fit                = 
| fit_f              = 
| reaching           = 
| reaching_f         = 
| active             = 18,400<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/958309/mena-active-military-personnel-by-country/|publisher=Statista|title=Number of active military personnel in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, by country|access-date=30 July 2024|date=19 July 2024}}</ref>
| ranked             = 
| reserve            = 110,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/958319/mena-reserve-military-personnel-by-country/|publisher=Statista|title=Number of reserve military personnel in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, by country|access-date=30 July 2024|date=19 July 2024}}</ref>
| deployed           = 
<!-- Financial -->
| amount             = $1.5 billion (2023)
| percent_GDP        = 3.3% (2023)
<!-- Industrial -->
| domestic_suppliers = 
| foreign_suppliers  = 
| imports            = 
| exports            = 
<!-- Related articles -->
| history            = 
| ranks              = [[Military ranks of Bahrain]]
}}

{{Politics of Bahrain}}

The '''Bahrain Defence Force''' ({{langx|ar|قوة دفاع البحرين}}, abbreviated '''BDF''') is the military force of the [[Kingdom of Bahrain]]. The Bahrain Defence Force is under the direct command and leadership of a commander-in-chief who holds the rank of [[field marshal]]. The [[Cabinet of Bahrain|Government]] has a Minister of Defence Affairs, responsible for BDF representation in the Cabinet.

The BDF numbers about 18,000 personnel<ref>{{cite web|title=Bahrain|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26414.htm|work=The 2011 US Department of State [[Background Notes]]|publisher=[[United States Department of State]]|access-date=2 March 2012|quote=The Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) numbers about 113,000 personnel.}}</ref> and consists of the [[Royal Bahraini Air Force]], [[Royal Bahraini Army]], [[Royal Bahraini Navy]] and the [[Royal Guard (Bahrain)|Royal Guard]]. Apart from the BDF, the public security forces and the Coast Guard report to the [[Ministry of Interior (Bahrain)|Ministry of Interior]].

In January 2008, [[Crown Prince of Bahrain|Crown Prince]] [[Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa]], was appointed as the Deputy Supreme Commander,<ref>{{cite news|title=Royal Decree No 1 of the Year 2008 on the Appointment of the Deputy Supreme Commander |url=http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/viewhtm.aspx?ID=O0108 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121127084534/http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/viewhtm.aspx?ID=O0108 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 November 2012 |newspaper=Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Bahrain |date=6 January 2008 }}</ref> while [[Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa]] was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the BDF.<ref>{{cite news|title=Royal Decree No 2 of the Year 2008 on the Appointment of the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force |url=http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/viewhtm.aspx?ID=O0208 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208152541/http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/viewhtm.aspx?ID=O0208 |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 December 2012 |newspaper=Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Bahrain |date=6 January 2008 }}</ref> BDF's Chief of Staff is Lieutenant General [[Theyab bin Saqer Al Noaimi]].

==History ==
The Bahrain Defence Force was established in 1968 by Sheikh [[Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa]] for safeguarding the nation's primary interests and was initially named the National Guard. In November 1, 1969 the National Guard was renamed to the Bahrain Defence Force. The first batch of recruits started basic training in 28 October 1968 with the first recurits of the force graduating in 5th of February 1969.<ref name=alwatan>{{cite web|url=https://alwatannews.net/Bahrain/article/757118/%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%AE%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%A1|title=قوة دفاع البحرين.. خمسون عاماً من الفداء والعطاء|publisher=Al Watan|lang=ar|date=4 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://militarysphere.com/bahrain-defence-force-history/|title=Decoding the Fascinating Bahrain Defence Force History|publisher=Militarysphere.com|date=29 June 2024}}</ref>

In 1977 Isa ibn Salman appointed his eldest son and heir apparent, [[Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa]], to be minister of defense and commander in chief of the Bahrain Defense Force. Sheikh Hamad, a recent graduate of [[Mons Officer Cadet School]] in 1969, was tasked with restructuring the Bahrain Defence Force.<ref name=alwatan></ref> 

The Bahrain Defence Force participated in the [[Gulf War]], [[War on terror]], and [[Saudi-led intervention in Yemen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/bahrain-mil.htm|publisher=globalsecurity.org|title=Bahrain Defence Force (BDF)|access-date=25 July 2024}}</ref><ref name=alwatan></ref>

==Commanders-in-Chief of the BDF==
{{main|Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force}}

==See also==
* [[National Guard (Bahrain)]]
* [[Special Security Force Command]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Bahrain Defence Force}}
* [https://www.bdf.bh/ Official site]
*[https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26414.htm#defense Background Note: Bahrain - Defense] U.S. Department of State

{{Military of Asia}}
{{Military of the Arab world}}
{{Bahrain security forces}}
{{Bahrain topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bahrain Defence Force| ]]
[[Category:Military of Bahrain| ]]