The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces (,
transliterated
Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...
: ''al-Quwāt ul-Musallaḥatu lis-Sulṭān 'Umān'') or Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) () are the armed forces of
Oman
Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...
. They constitute the
Royal Army of Oman,
Royal Navy of Oman
The Royal Navy of Oman (), abbreviated RNO, is the maritime component of the Royal Armed Forces of the Sultanate of Oman. Given its long coastline and strategic location along the Indian Ocean, as well as being close to the Strait of Hormuz, ...
,
Royal Air Force of Oman
The Royal Air Force of Oman ( or RAFO) is the air arm of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces, Armed Forces of Oman.
History Sultan of Oman's Air Force era
The Sultan of Oman's Air Force (SOAF) was formed with United Kingdom, British personnel an ...
,
Sultan's Special Force and other defense forces of the Sultanate of Oman.
History
Oman has a military history which dates back to the 7th century. At the time, the forces of the
Azd
The Azd (Arabic: أَزْد), or Al-Azd (Arabic: ٱلْأَزْد), is an ancient Tribes of Arabia, Arabian tribe. The lands of Azd occupied an area west of Bisha and Al Bahah in what is today Saudi Arabia.
Land of Azd Pre-Islamic Arabia
Pre- ...
tribe were powerful enough to help
Abu Bakr
Abd Allah ibn Abi Quhafa (23 August 634), better known by his ''Kunya (Arabic), kunya'' Abu Bakr, was a senior Sahaba, companion, the closest friend, and father-in-law of Muhammad. He served as the first caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruli ...
, a
companion of
Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
, in the War of al Mortadeen. It is said that even before that, the Azd tribe, led by Malek bin Faham, were able to defeat a
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
force which controlled Oman at that time.
The second known Omani army force was raised during the
Yarubid dynasty, who forced the
Portuguese out of the country in 1650. Under Yarubi rule, fortified buildings covered the country from the north of
Musandam to the south of
Dhofar
The Dhofar Governorate () 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 Governorate and the southern border with Saudi Arabia's Easter ...
, making Oman a great power in the Persian Gulf.
During the later al Busaidi dynasty, (mainly during the time of
Said bin Sultan
Sayyid Saïd bin Sultan al-Busaidi (, , ) (5 June 1791 – 19 October 1856) was Sultan of Muscat and Oman, the fifth ruler of the Al Bu Said dynasty from 1804 to 4 June 1856. His rule began after a period of conflict and internecine rivalry of su ...
), Oman was a substantial empire with a very powerful military force, making Oman one of the greatest forces in the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
, second only to the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. After Said bin Sultan's death, political conflicts in Oman forced Oman to close in upon itself, and to transform from a powerful empire to a relatively poor country.
Buraimi dispute
Prior to 1954, when
Said bin Taimur became ruler of
Muscat and Oman
The Sultanate of Muscat and Oman (), also known briefly as the State of Muscat and Oman () during the rule of Taimur bin Feisal, was a sovereign state that encompassed the present-day Sultanate of Oman and parts of present-day United Arab Emir ...
, the defence of the region was guaranteed by treaties with the
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
. The only armed forces in Muscat and Oman were tribal levies and a palace guard recruited from
Baluchistan
Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region of de ...
in
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
(due to a historical quirk by which the Sultan also owned the port of
Gwadur). Prior to that year, there had been a dispute with
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
over the ownership of the
Buraimi Oasis, which was important for oil exploration rights.
For many centuries, the interior of Oman had been an autonomous region, the
Imamate of Oman
The Imamate of Oman () was a historical state within the ''Oman proper'' () in the Hajar Mountains, part of the present-day Sultanate of Oman. The capital of the Imamate alternated historically between Rustaq and Nizwa. The Imamate's territ ...
. The Imam of Oman was its religious and secular leader. In 1954, the Imam was Ghalib bin Ali. He had been prepared to muster Omani tribesmen to expel the Saudis from Buraimi, but at British instigation, the matter was settled by arbitration. To prevent the Imam interfering with the settlement over Buraimi, a battalion-sized task force, the ''Muscat and Oman Field Force'' was raised, and occupied the town of
Ibri. The Sultan's prestige and authority was damaged by his disdain for his own people.
At this point, the SAF consisted of:
:''Batinah Force'' (an infantry unit raised from the coastal region north of Muscat)
:''Muscat Regiment'' (the expanded former Palace Guard).
:''Muscat and Oman Field Force''
Some British officers were attached to each unit.
Jebel Akhdar campaigns
With the ''Field Force'' occupying part of his territory, Ghalib tried to declare the Imamate of Oman independent, but in December 1955 the ''Field Force'' captured Ghalib at the town of
Rostaq. He was released on recognisances.
Rebellion in 1957
Talib bin Ali, the Imam's brother, had fled to Saudi Arabia. He returned from there in 1957 with 300 well-equipped fighters, and the insurrection broke out again. Talib's forces occupied a fortified tower near
Bilad Sait, which the ''Field Force'' lacked the heavy weapons to destroy. After some weeks' inconclusive fighting, Suleiman bin Himyar, the Sheikh of one of the major tribes in the interior, openly proclaimed his defiance of the Sultan, and began a general uprising. The ''Muscat and Oman Field Force'' was largely destroyed as it tried to retreat through hostile towns and villages.
The rebellion was suppressed by the ''Muscat Regiment'' and the
Trucial Oman Levies
The Trucial Oman Scouts (), known as Trucial Oman Levies prior to 1956, was a predecessor paramilitary force that operated in the Trucial States under British control from 1951 to 1971, after which they were renamed to the Union Defence Force with ...
from the neighbouring
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
. The decisive factor however, was the intervention of infantry (two companies of the
Cameronians) and armoured car detachments from the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
and aircraft of the
RAF. Talib's forces retreated to the inaccessible
Jebel Akhdar. The SAF's attacks up the few paths up the Jebel were easily repelled.
Stalemate 1957–1959
The Sultan's army was reorganised under a British soldier, Colonel
David Smiley. The ''Batinah Force'' was renamed the ''Northern Frontier Regiment'' and the remnants of the ''Muscat and Oman Field Force'' merged into the new ''Oman Regiment''. Within each unit and sub-unit, Baluchi and Arab soldiers were mixed. This prevented units defecting to or openly sympathising with the rebels, but led to tensions within units, and orders were frequently not followed because of language problems. Many of the notionally Omani soldiers were recruited from the province of
Dhofar
The Dhofar Governorate () 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 Governorate and the southern border with Saudi Arabia's Easter ...
, and looked down upon by other Arabs.
The Army was still unable to deal with Talib's stronghold. The few paths up the Jebel Akhdar were far too narrow to deploy attacking battalions or even companies. One attempt was made against the southern face of the Jebel, using four infantry companies (including two companies from the
Trucial Oman Scouts
The Trucial Oman Scouts (), known as Trucial Oman Levies prior to 1956, was a predecessor paramilitary force that operated in the Trucial States under British control from 1951 to 1971, after which they were renamed to the Union Defence Force with ...
, from what would later become the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
. The attackers withdrew hastily after concluding they were vulnerable to being ambushed and cut off. In another attempt, infantry launched a feint and then withdrew while
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from their Lincoln bomber, which itself had been a developm ...
bombers of the RAF bombarded the supposedly massed defenders. They inflicted no casualties.
For two years, rebel infiltrators continually mined the roads around the Jebel, and ambushed SAF and British detachments and oil company vehicles. The SAF were spread in small detachments in the towns and villages at the foot of the Jebel, and thus vulnerable and on the defensive. Their arms (mainly British weapons of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
vintage) were less effective than the up-to-date equipment used by Talib's fighters. An SAF artillery unit with two
5.5-inch medium guns harassed the settlements on the plateau on top of the Jebel Akhdar, to little effect.
It was estimated by some British officers that a full-scale attack by a British brigade would be required to recapture the jebel. Smiley and others felt that a smaller operation by Special Forces with air support would suffice. Eventually in 1959, two squadrons from the British
Special Air Service
The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...
were deployed, under
Anthony Deane-Drummond. After making feint operations against outlying positions on the north side of the Jebel, they scaled the southern face of the Jebel at night, taking the rebels by surprise. Supplies were parachuted to them once they reached the plateau; this may have misled some of the rebels into thinking that this was an assault by paratroops. There was little further fighting. Talib and his fighters either melted back into the local population or fled to Saudi Arabia.
Later operations in Oman
Some insurgents continued to cross into Oman from Saudi Arabia or via the UAE, and laid landmines which continued to cause casualties to SAF units and civilian vehicles. The SAF lacked the numbers to prevent this infiltration. A paramilitary force, the ''Oman Gendarmerie'' was formed in 1960 to assist the SAF in this task, and also to take over normal policing duties. The landmine campaign eventually dwindled away.
The only apparent threat to Oman at this point appeared to be a shadowy Marxist group who attempted to assassinate the Sultan's Interior Minister, and may also have planted bombs on civil aircraft, including a
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount is a retired British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner.
T ...
of
United Arab Airlines which broke up in mid-air north of Elba on 29 September 1960, killing all 23 people on board.
Dhofar campaign
In 1964, a rebellion began in the southern province of
Dhofar
The Dhofar Governorate () 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 Governorate and the southern border with Saudi Arabia's Easter ...
, again supported by Saudi Arabia. The initial aims of the rebellion were greater autonomy for the region, and an improvement in its living standards.
The Sultan's forces in Dhofar consisted only of an irregular ''Dhofar Force'', recruited from local "jibali" tribes. Only in 1965 were two battalions of the SAF sent to the province. Most units of the Omani Army at this time were understrength, and badly equipped and trained. The air force consisted of a few piston-engined transport and ground-attack aircraft. The navy possessed a single
dhow
Dhow (; ) is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with settee or sometimes lateen sails, used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Typically sporting long thin hulls, dhows are trading vessels ...
.
The ''Dhofar Force'' was disbanded in 1966, after some of its members tried to assassinate the Sultan. The ''Desert Regiment'' was raised to replace it. The ''Southern Regiment'' was also formed and all Baluchi soldiers were eventually concentrated in the two battalions of this regiment, although the change took several years to implement fully.
The rebellion continued at a low level until 1967. In that year, the establishment of the
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
South Yemen, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, abbreviated to Democratic Yemen, was a country in South Arabia that existed in what is now southeast Yemen from 1967 until its unification with the Yemen Arab Republic in 19 ...
(PDRY) adjacent to Dhofar, gave the rebels access to sources of arms, supplies and recruits, and also radicalised the rebel movement. As the PFLOAG, this sought the overthrow of the Sultanate and other pro-Western regimes in the Persian Gulf.
By 1969, the ''Adoo'', as the rebels were known, had overrun much of Dhofar, and there were attacks on SAF positions elsewhere in Oman. It was clear to the Sultan's British backers and advisors that the situation was critical. Said bin Taimur's rule had been reactionary and despotic. Almost all progress since the Middle Ages had been outlawed in Oman. In 1970, the Sultan was overthrown in a palace coup, which was planned and supported by the British. His son,
Qaboos bin Said
Qaboos bin Said Al Said (, ; 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 Al Bu Said dynasty, he was the longest-serving leader in t ...
, replaced him.
Reform and modernisation
Qaboos had attended
Sandhurst and served as an officer in the British Army with the 1st Bn the
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Reg ...
. His outlook was far wider and more liberal than his father's. He immediately instituted major social and military reforms throughout the country. As part of a "hearts and minds" campaign to win over the population of Dhofar, an amnesty was declared for surrendered rebels. Former rebels formed ''
Firqat'' irregular units, trained and assisted by teams from the Special Air Service. The ''Firqats'' eventually numbered 1800, and deprived the rebels of local support in their home areas.
Meanwhile, the regular units of the Army were expanded and re-equipped. More Omanis were recruited and Baluchis were concentrated in separated units. Large numbers of officers and NCO instructors seconded from the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
and
Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
were attached to units. (There were also several British and Commonwealth mercenaries). Two new infantry units were raised in 1971: the ''Frontier Force'' (a Baluchi unit) in Dhofar, and the ''Jebel Regiment'' in the interior of Oman.
The various supporting arms, which had previously existed as ad hoc units and detachments were also formally established. The new corps were the ''Artillery Regiment'', ''Signal Regiment'', ''Armoured Car Squadron'', ''Engineering Unit'', ''Garrison Detachment'' and the ''Training Regiment''. The ''Oman Gendarmerie'' was also strengthened and modernised.
The Air Force acquired
BAC Strikemaster
The BAC 167 Strikemaster is a jet-powered training and light attack aircraft designed and produced by the British Aircraft Corporation. It was a development of the Hunting Jet Provost trainer, itself a jet engined version of the Percival Provo ...
and
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet propulsion, jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly dev ...
attack aircraft,
Shorts Skyvan and
Caribou
The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only represe ...
transport aircraft, and
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...
helicopters, flown by seconded RAF or contract (i.e. mercenary) pilots. Two Pilatus Porter air ambulances used extensively during the Dhofar conflict were retained in the Air Force until the late 1970s.
Later operations in Dhofar

The army established lines of defensive posts to block rebel movements and supply trains, assisted by troops supplied by the
Shah of Iran
The monarchs of Iran ruled for over two and a half millennia, beginning as early as the 7th century BC and enduring until the 20th century AD. The earliest Iranian king is generally considered to have been either Deioces of the Median dynasty () ...
. The process took time, but by 1972 the rebels were being starved of support. To retrieve the situation, they launched a major attack on the coastal town of
Mirbat
Mirbat () is a coastal town in the Dhofar governorate, in southwestern Oman. In 2020, the town had a population of 9,886, while the wilayat as a whole had a population of 16,364. It was the site of the 1972 Battle of Mirbat between Communist g ...
, but were defeated by ''Firqats'', Gendarmerie and SAS detachments, with air support.
In 1973, an SAF offensive intended to capture the main rebel supply base at Shershitti Caves was defeated, although an exposed position at
Sarfait
Sarfait (Sarfayt) is a settlement in the Dhofar Governorate of Oman on the coast of the Arabian Sea, near the border with Yemen. There is an international border checkpoint at Sarfait; on the Yemeni side of the border is the settlement of Hawf.
...
near the border with the PDRY was captured. This position, codenamed ''Simba'', was held for two years. Meanwhile, the ''Adoo'' were slowly driven to the edge of their former territory. Another offensive in 1975 finally isolated the rebels from the PDRY. The rebellion was declared to be over in 1976.
At the end of this period, the Army numbered 13,000. It was organised into a Southern Brigade (under Brigadier
John Akehurst, responsible for operations in Dhofar), and a Northern Brigade which garrisoned the rest of the country. The Army's
Commander-in-Chief during most of the Dhofar rebellion was Major General
Timothy Creasey
General Sir Timothy May Creasey (21 September 1923 – 5 October 1986) was a British Army officer who became General Officer Commanding of the British Army in Northern Ireland, as well as the commander of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces.
Re ...
, who was replaced near the end of the conflict by Major General
Ken Perkins.
Gulf Wars

In the years following the end of the Dhofar rebellion, the SAF continued to expand and modernise. Links with Britain remained close and all three UK armed services have provided advisers on Loan Service to the SAF and this arrangement remains in place; although numbers have steadily reduced as 'Omanisation' progressed.
One facility enjoyed by Britain was the use of the airbase on
Masirah Island
Masirah Island (), also referred to as Mazeira Island, is an island off the east coast of mainland Oman in the Arabian Sea, and the largest island of the country. Administratively, it forms one of the five Provinces of Oman, provinces (''Wilaya ...
off the southern coast, as a staging post. The
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
was granted the same facilities, which was to become important as tension increased in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
. In the mid-1980s the Sultan of Oman's Air Force (SOAF) operated Hawker Hunter F6,
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is a British-French supersonic jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. As of 2025, the Jaguar remains in service with the ...
and
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...
aircraft from an in-country air base at
Thumrait
Thumrait () is a small town and wilayat (province) of the Dhofar Governorate in southern Oman. As of the 2020 Omani census, Thumrait had a population of 10,552. In ancient times Thumrait was an important point on the Arabian peninsula's caravan ro ...
.
In 1987 there was a border conflict with the PDRY which saw the whole of the SAF mobilised. Sorties into Oman by Toyota pickup trucks armed with Dushka 12.5mm heavy machine guns killed several lightly-armed Omani troops. The PDRY sent a Motorised Infantry force to reinforce the border but this was destroyed by SOAF Jaguars. Peace talks quickly followed.
As part of the
Gulf Cooperation Council
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ), is a Regional integration, regional, intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental, political, and economic union comprising Ba ...
(GCC), Oman assigned an infantry battalion to the force known as
Peninsula Shield
The Peninsula Shield Force (or ''Peninsula Shield''; ) is the military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is intended to deter, and respond to military aggression against any of the GCC member countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi A ...
during the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...
.
In 1990, the Iraqi Army unexpectedly invaded
Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
, also a member of the GCC. A large international coalition formed, first to discourage further Iraqi aggression. The aims of the coalition changed to the restoration of Kuwaiti sovereignty, as more forces were deployed to Saudi Arabia. Oman's role in
First Gulf War
The Gulf War (1990–1991) was an armed conflict between Iraq and a multinational military coalition led by the United States, triggered by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.
Persian Gulf War may also refer to:
* Shatt al-Arab conflict ...
was mainly as a base area and staging post for the large
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
and British
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
contingents deployed to the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
. Some transport aircraft and tanker aircraft flew out of Masirah, but the Sultan of Oman's Air Force did not directly participate in attacks on Iraq.
An Omani battalion served in Saudi Arabia, as part of the GCC contribution to the ground war to liberate Kuwait. It formed part of the Saudi Arabian-led Task Force Omar along with the Saudi 10th Mechanised Brigade. It advanced into Kuwait on the second day of the ground offensive and had no casualties.
In 2001, Oman hosted a large contingent of the British Army, which held Exercise
Saif Sareea II
Exercise Saif Sareea ( ) is a series of military exercises undertaken by the United Kingdom and Oman which first began in 1986 and most recently took place in 2018.
Saif Sareea 1
Exercise Saif Sareea 1 was the first exercise held between 15 Novem ...
(in which 12500 members of the SAF also participated). The stated aims of the exercise were to practise rapid deployment and test equipment in severe conditions.
Present day

Since the defeat of the Dhofar insurgents, the likelihood of internal strife caused by poverty or tribal dissension has steadily decreased as a result of the increasing standards of living, and the provision of public health and education.
Tension on Oman's
western border has lessened since the
Yemeni unification
The Yemeni unification () took place on 22 May 1990, when the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) and the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) united, forming the Republic of Yemen.
Background (1918–1990)
North Yemen became an ...
in 1990. Oman includes the tip of the
Musandam Peninsula
The Musandam Peninsula (), locally known as Ruus Al Jibal ( Capes of the Mountains), is a peninsula that forms the northeastern point of the Arabian Peninsula.
Geography
The peninsula lies to the south of the Strait of Hormuz, between the Persia ...
in the Persian Gulf, which may be significant in future conflicts in the region.
The army has steadily decreased its dependence on British and other foreign assistance, and increased its degree of mechanisation, although emphasis on light infantry operations remains; as part of their training, soldiers repeat the
SAS ascent of the Jebel Akhdar in 1959. The Navy is one of the most modern in the region, and the Air Force is respected.
In any future major regional conflict, Oman may be able to rely on support and aid from Britain and the United States.
Equipment
The army is qualitatively superior to that of many neighbouring countries except Saudi Arabia and Iran, with one regiment of British-built
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, Oman, and Ukraine.
It was designed by Vickers Defence Systems (now Rheinmetall BAE Systems ...
main battle tanks and the other slightly larger regiment of
M60 (predominantly M60A3s) MBTs rounding out Oman's sole armoured brigade. Oman recently received 174
Piranha
A piranha (, or ; ) is any of a number of freshwater fish species in the subfamily Serrasalminae, of the family Serrasalmidae, in the order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs. Although ...
light armoured vehicles and over 80
VBL scout cars from France to further strengthen military capabilities. In terms of artillery, in the 1990s, Oman received
G6 155 mm
howitzers
The howitzer () is an artillery weapon that falls between a cannon (or field gun) and a mortar. It is capable of both low angle fire like a field gun and high angle fire like a mortar, given the distinction between low and high angle fire break ...
from
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, and Oman's anti-tank capabilities are to be greatly strengthened by the soon-to-be-delivered 100
Javelin missiles from the United States. On a troop level, Oman's armed forces are frequently trained and briefed by the regular
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
, including the elite
Special Air Service
The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...
(SAS).
The primary assault rifle of the Omani army is the Austrian
Steyr AUG rifle, with some special task units using
M-16 and
M-4 variants, plus many other small arms varieties.
Air Force Equipment
References
The Sultan’s Armed Forces mentioning the Royal Air Force of Oman
Sources
*''Warlords of Oman'', by Philip Allfree, 1967, Barnes
*''Desert Warrior'', by HRH Khaled bin Sultan, 1995, Harper Collins,
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
Military of Oman
Military units and formations established in 1959