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The Royal Army of Oman (
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
: الجيش العماني, transliterated: ''al-Jaīsh al-'Umānī'') is the ground forces component of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces. It was founded in 1907 as the Muscat Garrison. It has a current strength of 35,000 personnel.


History

Oman has a military history which dates back to the seventh century, when troops from the Alozd tribe were strong enough to help
Abu Bakr Abu Bakr Abdallah ibn Uthman Abi Quhafa (; – 23 August 634) was the senior companion and was, through his daughter Aisha, a father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as the first caliph of Islam. He is known with the honor ...
, companion of the Islamic prophet Mohammed. At the beginning of the seventeenth century there were local forces associated with Ya'ariba dynasty. It was this dynasty, which forced the expulsion of Portuguese from the country in 1650. The Ya'ariba dynasty were responsible for most of the fortified site across what is now the Sultanate of Oman from Musandam in the north to the southern province of Dhofar. The Royal Army of Oman officially traces its origins back to the formation of the Muscat Garrison in 1907, this local garrison force was developed and became the Muscat Infantry in 1921. An agreement between the Omani and the British governments in 1958 led to the creation of the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) and the creation of formally structured Omani army units. At the same time the United Kingdom promised to provide direct assistance in the development of the SAF and its land forces. During the 1960 and 1970s, army units fought in the
Dhofar Rebellion The Dhofar Rebellion, also known as the Dhofar War or the Omani Civil War, was waged from 1963 to 1976 in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. The war began with the formation of the Dhofar Liberation Front, a group ...
alongside British units and it relied on embedded unit-level British military advisors, who saw combat alongside the units they were very much part of. At the end of the Dhofar Rebellion the Omani army became an independent service known as the Sultan of Oman Land Forces in 1976. In 1990, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said renamed his land forces the Royal Army of Oman (RAO). The RAO frequently exercises with the armed forces of fellow
Gulf Cooperation Council The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( ar, مجلس التعاون لدول العربية الخليج ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ar, مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, inter ...
nations and other strategic defense partners such as the US and UK.


Ground Forces Organisation

According to the latest MoD Telephone Directory published by Omantel, RAO is structured as follows: *HQ RAO at Muaskar al Murtafa'a (MAM) near Seeb *Two infantry brigades: **11 Brigade (the southern brigade) based in
Salalah Salalah ( ar, صَلَالَة, Ṣalālah) is the capital and largest city of the southern Omani governorate of Dhofar. Its population in 2009 was about 197,169. Salalah is the third-largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and the largest city ...
**23 Brigade (the northern brigade) based at MAM *The Sultan's Armour Units (MSO) based at Sultan bin Safy Camp at Shafa, near
Izki Izki ( ar, إِزْكِي) is a town in the region Ad Dakhiliyah, northeastern Oman. It is located at c. altitude, and has a population of 35,173 (2003 census). Geography Izki lies at the end of a route from Muscat to Nizwa. The rou ...
**Two regiments of main battle tanks (
Challenger 2 The FV4034 Challenger 2 (MOD designation "CR2") is a third generation British main battle tank (MBT) in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was designed and built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems (now known ...
and
M60A3 The M60 is an American second-generation main battle tank (MBT). It was officially standardized as the Tank, Combat, Full Tracked: 105-mm Gun, M60 in March 1959. Although developed from the M48 Patton, the M60 tank series was never officially ...
) **Medium Reconnaissance Regiment ( FV101 Scorpion) *The Border Guard Brigade with a base in Haima in the Al Wusta Governate *Infantry ** Muscat Regiment (MR) based at
Bidbid Bidbid ( ar, بدبد) is a town in the region Ad Dakhiliyah, in northeastern Oman. Climate See also * List of cities in Oman This is a list of cities and towns in Oman. *Adam * As Sib *Al Ashkharah *Al Buraimi * Al Hamra * Al Jazer * ...
- Mowag Piranha-equipped
Mechanised Infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...
** Northern Frontier Regiment (NFR) based at
Ibri , native_name_lang = ar , nickname = , settlement_type = Town , motto = , image_skyline = Ibri, Oman (2013).jpg , image_caption = Fort Ibri , image_flag = , image_shield ...
and Buraimi ** Desert Regiment (DR) based at
Ibra The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) is a biogeographic regionalisation of Australia developed by the Australian government's Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Communities. It was deve ...
- Mowag Piranha-equipped Mechanised Infantry ** Jebel Regiment (JR) based at Nizwa **Southern Regiment (KJ) one battalion based at
Salalah Salalah ( ar, صَلَالَة, Ṣalālah) is the capital and largest city of the southern Omani governorate of Dhofar. Its population in 2009 was about 197,169. Salalah is the third-largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and the largest city ...
near the Royal Palace on the Taqah Road **Western Frontier Regiment (WFR) based at Thumrait **Sultan of Oman's Parachute Regiment (SOPR) based at
Rustaq Rustaq ( ar, ٱلرُّسْتَاق, Ar-Rustāq) is a town and ''Wilayah'' (District) in Al Batinah Region of northern Oman. The wilayah is in the Western Hajar Mountains, in the south of the Batinah. Rustaq was once the capital of Oman, during ...
**Oman Reconnaissance Regiment based in Dhofar *Border and Local Security Forces (light infantry role) **Western Border Security Force based at
Al Qabil Al-Qābil ( ar, ٱلْقَابِل) is a village in Al Buraimi Governorate (formerly Ad Dhahirah Region), in northwestern Oman. A small agricultural village on the edge of the Wahibah Desert, Al Qabil lies about south along the Muscat- Sur Hi ...
**Coastal Security Force based at Sur **Musandam Security Force (MSF) based at Bukha **Rural Security Forces based in Salalah (replaced Firqat Forces) *Sultan of Oman's Artillery **Northern artillery units based at Izki **Southern artillery units based at Thumrait in Dhofar *SAF Signals based in MAM (with units supporting 11 Brigade) *SAF Engineers based in MAM (with units supporting 11 Brigade) *SAF Transport based in Mabela (with units supporting 11 Brigade) *SAF Electrical & Mechanical Engineers based in MAM (with units supporting 11 Brigade) *SAF Ordnance based in MAM (with units supporting 11 Brigade) *SAF Medical Services main hospitals at Al Khoudh (north) and Umm al Ghawarif (south) and other base locations *Training Establishments **National Defence College Bayt al Falaj, Ruwi, Muscat **Military Technical College near Seeb Airport **Sultan Qaboos Military College (KSQA) including the RAO Officer Training School based at Aydem in Dhofar **Sultan Armed Forces Training Regiment **Battle Training Centre - Saiq, Jebel al Akhdhar


Garrison locations

Based on locational evidence given in Omantel telephone directory listings (telephone number associations), historical recollections of British servicemen and analysis of Google Earth and Google Map imagery and cartographic data the following RAO garrisons have been identified:


Equipment

In 2020 Oman spent 11% of GDP on military expenditures. Oman has one armored brigade (MSO) equipped with the
Challenger 2 The FV4034 Challenger 2 (MOD designation "CR2") is a third generation British main battle tank (MBT) in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was designed and built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems (now known ...
and the M60A1 and M60A3 Patton tanks. Between 2001 and 2004 Oman received 174 amphibious light armored vehicles and more than 80 armored VBL from France. In May 2013 the United States announced a deal with Oman valued at $2.1 billion to supply a ground-based air defense system. 172 FNSS Pars armoured combat vehicle ordered for delivery from 2017, total cost $500m Oman looks to acquire K2 main battle tanks from South Korea. South Korean Defense Company Hyundai Rotem Co. could sell 76 K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tanks to Oman, a deal that could reach an amount up to $884.6 million.


Armoured vehicles


Trucks

*
MAN A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromo ...
TGA heavy trucks *
ACMAT VLRA ACMAT (''Ateliers de Construction Mécanique de L'Atlantique'', also known as ALM-ACMAT) ( en, Atlantic Mechanical Engineering Workshops) is a French manufacturer of cross-country and tactical military vehicles since 1958. Known for their reliabi ...
6x6 *
ACMAT VLRA ACMAT (''Ateliers de Construction Mécanique de L'Atlantique'', also known as ALM-ACMAT) ( en, Atlantic Mechanical Engineering Workshops) is a French manufacturer of cross-country and tactical military vehicles since 1958. Known for their reliabi ...
4x4 *
Land Rover Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rove ...
4x4


Field artillery

* Type-90A 122mm MRLs (12) *
G6 howitzer The G6, sometimes denoted as the G6 ''Rhino'', is a South African mine-protected self-propelled howitzer. It was developed as a turreted, self-propelled variant of the G5 howitzer series, mating the gun to a six-wheeled armoured chassis. Des ...
s (24) * M109A2 howitzers (15) - status unknown * L118 light guns (39) * M-46 130mm guns (15) *
Type 59-1 Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * Typ ...
130mm guns (12) * FH70 155mm howitzers (12) * 122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30) (30) * L16 81mm Mortars * M102 105mm howitzers (36) *
Brandt Brandt may refer to: Places United States * Brandt, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Brandt, South Dakota, a town * Brandt Township, Polk County, Minnesota Elsewhere * Mount Brandt, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica * Brandt Cove, South Georgi ...
120mm mortars (12) *2R2M 120mm (SP on VAB) mortar (14) * M30 107mm mortars (SP on M-106A-2 APCs) (12) * BGM-71A/C improved TOW ATGMs (26 launchers, 220 missiles) * BGM-71F TOW-2B ATGMs (18 launchers, 562 missiles) *
FGM-148 The FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium (AAWS-M), is an American-made portable anti-tank missile system in service since 1996, and continuously upgraded. It replaced the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service. Its fire- ...
anti-tank guided missiles (30 launchers, 250 missiles) *
MILAN Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...
anti-tank guided missiles (32-50 launchers) * LAW 80 light ATRLs * RPG-7V light ATRLs


Air defense

* Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon GDF-007 (10) * Skyguard-AD system ( Aspide SAMs+ Oerlikon GDF-002 35mm twin AAGs) * Bofors 40mm gun * VDAA 2x20mm SP-AAGs (9) * ZU-23 2x23mm AAGs (4-5) * M-167A2 VADS 20mm AAG *SHORAR radar system (2) - associated with Mistral SAM * Blindfire radar systems for
Rapier A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Impo ...
missiles (18) * Skyguard-radar systems for Skyguard A\D systems (5) * Cymbeline artillery location radar (3) * Crotale NG SAM * Avenger SP-air defense system-on order (18) *
Rapier A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Impo ...
MK-2\Jernas SAMs (5) launchers\600 Rapier-1+ 800 Rapier-2 missiles. * Mistral anti-aircraft missile (54) launchers\230 missiles. * Blowpipe MANPADs-200 missiles. *
Javelin A javelin is a light spear designed primarily to be thrown, historically as a ranged weapon, but today predominantly for sport. The javelin is almost always thrown by hand, unlike the sling, bow, and crossbow, which launch projectiles with the ...
MANPADs (30) launchers\280 missiles. *
SA-7 The 9K32 Strela-2 (russian: Cтрела, "arrow"; NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) is a light-weight, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile (or MANPADS) system. It is designed to target aircraft at low altitudes with passive infrared homing gui ...
Grail MANPADs (34) *
NASAMS NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, also known as the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) is a distributed and networked short- to medium-range ground-based air defense system developed by Kongsberg Defence & Ae ...
* BAMSE * THAAD anti-missile systemOman to buy the air defense missile system THAAD
- Armyrecognition.com, May 27, 2013


Small arms


References

{{reflist
Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
Military of Oman