Bahrain is an island state located in the Persian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It became independent from Britain in 1971 and established a small air arm, known as the Bahrain Amiri Air Force. Bahrain had originally been turned down by the Carter administration in 1976 in its request for F-5Es, but in 1982 the Reagan administration approved the sale.
The Bahrain Amiri Air Force, took delivery of eight F-5Es and four F-5Fs in 1988. The Tigers were originally based at Manama Airport on the island of Muharraq. A new base, Shaikh Isa AB, was built beginning in 1987 on the main island of Sitra, and the F-5 force moved there when the base was completed.
The first of 12 F-16C/Ds arrived at Shaikh Isa in March of 1990 to supplement the five surviving F-5s. Bahrain is currently considering an offer from the US Navy for 18 F-16Ns to replace its F-5s.
Sources:
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Northrop F-5/F-20, Jerry Scutts, Ian Allan Ltd, 1986.
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F-5: Warplane for the World, Robbie Shaw, Motorbooks, 1990
- Northrop F-5, Jon Lake and Robert Hewson, World Airpower Journal, Vol 25, 1996.
