The Royal Army of Oman (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, 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 ...

: الجيش العماني,

transliterated Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one script to another that involves swapping letters (thus '' trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , Armenian → or ...

: ''al-Jaīsh al-'Umānī'') is the ground forces component of the

Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces (Arabic: القوات المسلحة لسلطان عمان, transliterated: ''al-Quwāt ul-Musallaḥatu lis-Sulṭān 'Umān'') are the Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman, Sultan's S ...

. 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 Dhofar Governorate ( ar, مُحَافَظَة ظُفَار, Muḥāfaẓat Ẓufār) is the largest of the 11 Governorates in the Sultanate of Oman in terms of area. It lies in Southern Oman, on the eastern border with Yemen's Al Mahrah Gov ...

. 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 Qaboos bin Said Al Said ( ar, قابوس بن سعيد آل سعيد, ; 18 November 1940 – 10 January 2020) was Sultan of Oman from 23 July 1970 until his death in 2020. A fifteenth-generation descendant of the founder of the House of 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, interg ...

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: Sultan Qaboos 1980

*HQ RAO at Muaskar al Murtafa'a (MAM) near

Seeb Al-Seeb, As Seeb or As Sib ( ar, السيب) is a coastal fishing city, located several kilometres northwest of Muscat, in northeastern Oman. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 470,878. Landmarks include the Naseem Garden, the Royal ...

*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 **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 as ...

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 FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle, and also a light tank. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), CVR(T), family of seven armoured vehicles. Manufactured by ...

) *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, Oman, Adam *Seeb, Oman, As Sib *Al Ashkharah *Al Buraimi ...

- 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 Al Buraimi Governorate ( ar, مُحَافَظَة ٱلْبُرَيْمِي, Muḥāfaẓat Al-Buraimī) is one of the 11 governorates of Oman which was split from the Ad Dhahirah Region. Until October 2006, the area was part of Ad Dhahirah Regio ...

** 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 devel ...

- Mowag Piranha-equipped Mechanised Infantry ** Jebel Regiment (JR) based at

Nizwa Nizwa ( ar, نِزْوَى, Nizwā) is the largest city in Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper. Nizwa is about (1.5 hours) from Muscat. The population is estimated at around 72,000 people, including the two areas o ...

**Southern Regiment (KJ) one battalion based at

near the Royal Palace on the Taqah Road **Western Frontier Regiment (WFR) based at

Thumrait Thumrait ( ar, ثمريت) is a small town and wilayat (province) of the Dhofar Governorate in southern Oman. In ancient times Thumrait was an important point on the Arabian peninsula's caravan routes. Frankincense trees, an important crop, used ...

**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

*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 Hig ...

**Coastal Security Force based at Sur **Musandam Security Force (MSF) based at

Bukha Bukhāʾ ( ar, بُخَاء, Bukhāʾ) is a ''Wilayat'' and town in the ''Muhafazah'' of Musandam in the Sultanate of Oman. It is home to Bukha Castle. Sister towns * Weʽa, Djibouti References See also * Dibba Al-Baya * Madha * Khasab ...

**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 Saiq is a town in the region Ad Dakhiliyah, in northeastern Oman. It has its own airport, Saiq Airport. Climate Saiq has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: ''BSk''), with very warm summers and cool winters. Precipitation ...

, 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

Challenger 2s Advancing on Exercise in Oman MOD 45140648

In 2020 Oman spent 11% of GDP on military expenditures. Oman has one armored brigade (MSO) equipped with the

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 The Pars ( Turkish for Anatolian leopard) is an amphibious armoured combat vehicle family with 4x4, 6×6 and 8×8 versions, produced by FNSS Defence Systems of Turkey. Development The development of the PARS vehicles commenced in 2002, based on ...

armoured combat vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked. Examples of AFVs are tanks, armoured cars, ...

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 chromos ...

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 *

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 Rovers ...

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 gun The L118 light gun is a 105 mm towed howitzer. It was originally designed and produced in England for the British Army in the 1970s. It has since been widely exported. The L119 and the United States Army's M119 are variants that use a different ...

s (39) * M-46 130mm guns (15) * Type 59-1 130mm guns (12) *

FH70 The FH70 (field howitzer for the 1970s) is a towed howitzer in use with several nations. History In 1963, NATO agreed a NATO Basic Military Requirement 39 for close support artillery, either towed or tracked. Subsequently, Germany and UK st ...

155mm howitzers (12) * 122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30) (30) *

L16 81mm Mortar The L16 81mm mortar is a British standard mortar used by the Canadian Army, British Army, and many other armed forces. It originated as a joint design by the UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar, w ...

s * M102 105mm howitzers (36) * Brandt 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 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 h ...

anti-tank guided missiles (32-50 launchers) *

LAW 80 The LAW 80 (Light Anti-armour Weapon 80), regularly referred to as LAW 94 in British service, is a man-portable, disposable anti-tank weapon previously used by the British Army and a few other militaries. Description The weapon consists of an ext ...

light ATRLs *

RPG-7 The RPG-7 (russian: link=no, РПГ-7, Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт, Ruchnoy Protivotankoviy Granatomyot) is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket-propelled grenade launcher. ...

V light ATRLs

Air defense

Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon The Oerlikon GDF or Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon is a towed anti-aircraft gun made by Oerlikon Contraves (renamed as ''Rheinmetall Air Defence AG'' following the merger with Rheinmetall in 2009). The system was originally designated 2 ZLA/ ...

GDF-007 (10) * Skyguard-AD system (

Aspide Aspide (the Italian name for the asp) is an Italian medium range air-to-air and surface-to-air missile produced by Selenia (then by Alenia Aeronautica, now a part of Leonardo S.p.A.). It is provided with semi-active radar homing seeker. It i ...

SAMs+ Oerlikon GDF-002 35mm twin AAGs) *

Bofors 40mm gun Bofors 40 mm gun is a name or designation given to two models of 40 mm calibre anti-aircraft guns designed and developed by the Swedish company Bofors: *Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun - developed in the 1930s, widely used in World War II and into the 1990s ...

* VDAA 2x20mm SP-AAGs (9) *

ZU-23 The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23×152mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for ''Zenitnaya Ustanovka'' (Russian: Зенитная Установка) – anti-aircraft mount. The GRAU index is 2A13. Developm ...

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. Impor ...

missiles (18) * Skyguard-radar systems for Skyguard A\D systems (5) *

Cymbeline ''Cymbeline'' , also known as ''The Tragedie of Cymbeline'' or ''Cymbeline, King of Britain'', is a play by William Shakespeare set in British Iron Age, Ancient Britain () and based on legends that formed part of the Matter of Britain concerni ...

artillery location radar (3) * Crotale NG SAM *

Avenger Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes ** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...

SP-air defense system-on order (18) *

MK-2\Jernas SAMs (5) launchers\600 Rapier-1+ 800 Rapier-2 missiles. *

Mistral Mistral may refer to: * Mistral (wind) in southern France and Sardinia Automobiles * Maserati Mistral, a Maserati grand tourer produced from 1963 until 1970 * Nissan Mistral, or Terrano II, a Nissan 4×4 produced from 1993 until 2006 * Microp ...

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 th ...

MANPADs (30) launchers\280 missiles. * SA-7

Grail The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) was an American lunar science mission in NASA's Discovery Program which used high-quality gravitational field mapping of the Moon to determine its interior structure. The two small spacecraf ...

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 ''Bamse – Världens starkaste björn'' () is a Swedish cartoon created by Rune Andréasson. The highly popular children's cartoon first emerged as a series of television short films as well as a weekly Comic strip formats#Half page, half-page ...

THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their termina ...

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 t ...

Military of Oman