Royal Jordanian Navy Explained

Unit Name:Royal Jordanian Naval Force
Native Name:القوة البحرية الاردنية
Start Date:1951
Country: Jordan
Role:Navy
Garrison:Aqaba
Equipment:27 patrol craft
Commander1:King Abdullah II
Commander1 Label:Commander-in-chief
Commander2:Air Vice Marshal Yousef Huneiti
Commander2 Label:Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Commander3:Brig. General Ibrahim Salman al-Naimat
Commander3 Label:Commander of the Navy

The Royal Jordanian Navy is naval warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Jordan. As Jordan is landlocked except at its southern extremity, with only of shoreline along the Gulf of Aqaba providing access to the Red Sea, its Naval Force comprises 27 patrol boats, and has a total complement of more than 700 personnel, excluding the 77th Marines Reconnaissance Battalion. The Naval Force is under the command of the army.[1]

As of July 2016 the Commander of the Navy is Brigadier General Ibrahim Salman Al-Naimat.[2]

The Royal Jordanian Navy also cooperates with other nations in the region, being part of the maritime Combined Task Force 152 that provides security in the Persian Gulf.[3] [4]

History

The Royal Naval Force was established in 1951 as the Royal Coast Guard. It was established in Aqaba.[5] Its size was about that of an infantry company i.e.,circa 200 men. In 1952, the Coast Guard Headquarters was moved to the Dead Sea area and remained there until 1967. In 1974, The Coast Guard was provided with four medium patrol boats (Bertram Class) and with equipment for the divers and frogmen.

The naval element of the armed forces, although designated the Royal Jordanian Navy, remained an integral part of the army. Performing essentially a coast guard mission, in 1988 it had 300 officers and men based at Al Aqabah, the country's only port, with access to the Red Sea. The navy operated five coastal patrol boats of United States manufacture armed with light machine guns. The navy assisted in the maintenance of harbor security, operating in conjunction with customs and immigration personnel to ensure the enforcement of the country's laws and regulations. In late 1987, three larger craft of ninety-five tons each were ordered from Britain. When introduced, each would have a crew of sixteen and would be armed with 20mm and 30mm guns. Israeli units at the adjacent Israeli naval facility at Elat similarly consisted of small, lightly armed patrol boats.

In 1991, the Coast Guard was provided with three heavy patrol boats (Hawk Class). On 13 November 1991 the Royal Coast Guard was renamed as the Royal Naval Force.[6]

As part of the IDEX 2009 exhibition, Dr. Moayad Samman, Chairman and CEO of the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (Kaddb), will be signing a joint venture agreement with Mr. Mark T. Hornsby Managing Director of RiverHawk Worldwide LLC to establish Jordan RiverHawk Shipbuilding and Support, PSC. Kaddb and RiverHawk Worldwide LLC agreed on establishing Jordan RiverHawk Shipbuilding and Support to manufacture, market and supply AMP-137 Advanced Multi-mission Platform Vessels, Provide training and service and maintenance on each vessel sold, Explore the development of other vessels for customers in the region as well a provide maintenance services for other vessels. The partnership with Kaddb will allow RiverHawk Worldwide to exchange the know-how with the Bureau and to benefit from the skilled workforce to manufacture top-of-the-line vessels to be marketed to the Jordan Armed Forces as the number one customer to Kaddb and then to the region.[6]

Royal Naval Units

Equipment

Patrol boats

ClassUnitsNote
Al-Hussein class (VT Hawk) 3 2 × 30 mm guns, 1 × 20 mm gun, 2 × 12.7 mm machine guns.
Al-Hashim class (Type 412) 2 1 × 12.7 mm MGs.
Abdullah class 8 2 × 12.5 mm MGs.
Faysal class (Bertram) 4 1 × 12.7 mm MGs.
Faysal class (Commander) 4 2 × 12.5 mm MGs.
AMP-137 PB 4 Built by KADDB.[7] [8] [9]
Falcon class 2 1 × Rafael remote controlled & 1 × 7.62 mm MGs.

Special maritime forces boats

ClassUnitsNote
RHIB boats for special forces 8
17 foot launch boat 4
4
Light craft SRB for special forces 2

Naval infrastructure

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jordan Armed Forces. country-data.com. 19 September 2010.
  2. Web site: Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). inss.org.il. 19 September 2010.
  3. https://combinedmaritimeforces.com/2016/09/07/kuwait-hands-over-command-of-ctf-152-to-jordan/ Kuwait hands over Command of CTF 152 to Jordan
  4. https://combinedmaritimeforces.com/2017/09/14/jordan-hands-over-to-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-in-ctf152-change-of-command-ceremony/ Jordan Hands Over to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in CTF152 Change of Command Ceremony
  5. Web site: Embassy of Jordan Military Office. jordanmil.org . 29 July 2010. 19 September 2010.
  6. Web site: Royal Jordanian Navy. John Pike. globalsecurity.org. 9 December 2014.
  7. http://www.ameinfo.com/186369.html Kaddb will be signing an agreement of joint venture with RiverHawk Worldwide | IDEX | AMEinfo.com
  8. http://www.bairdmaritime.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2131:jordan-signs-agreement-for-advanced-multi-mission-platform-vessels&catid=73&Itemid=65 Jordan signs agreement for advanced multi-mission platform vessels
  9. Web site: www.jordan-business.net . www.jordan-business.net . 17 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031825/http://www.jordan-business.net/images/stories/August/Mil.pdf . 4 March 2016 . dead.