History Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces

1 history

1.1 buraimi crisis
1.2 jebel akhdar campaigns

1.2.1 rebellion in 1957
1.2.2 stalemate 1957 - 1959
1.2.3 later operations in oman


1.3 dhofar campaign

1.3.1 reform , modernisation
1.3.2 later operations in dhofar


1.4 gulf wars

history

oman has military history dates 7th century. @ time, forces of azd tribe powerful enough prophet mohammed s companion abu bakr war of al mortadeen. said before that, azd tribe, led malek bin faham, able defeat persian force controlled oman @ time.

the second known omani army force raised during yarubid dynasty, forced portuguese out of country in 1650. during rule of yarubi dynasty, fortified buildings covered country north of musandam south of dhofar, making oman great power in persian gulf.

during later al busaidi dynasty, (mainly during time of said bin sultan), oman substantial empire powerful military force, making oman 1 of greatest forces in indian ocean, second united kingdom. after said bin sultan s death, political conflicts in oman forced oman close in upon itself, , transform powerful empire relatively poor country.

buraimi crisis

prior 1954, when said bin taimur became ruler of muscat , oman, defence of region guaranteed treaties britain. armed forces in muscat , oman tribal levies , palace guard recruited baluchistan in pakistan (due historical quirk sultan owned port of gwadur). prior year, there had been dispute saudi arabia on ownership of buraimi oasis, important oil exploration rights.

for many centuries, interior of oman had been autonomous region, imamate of oman. imam of oman religious , secular leader. in 1954, imam ghalib bin ali. had been prepared muster omani tribesmen expel saudis buraimi, @ british instigation, matter settled arbitration. prevent imam interfering settlement on buraimi, battalion-sized task force, muscat , oman field force raised, , occupied town of ibri. sultan s prestige , authority damaged disdain own people.

at point, saf consisted of:

batinah force (an infantry unit raised coastal region north of muscat)
muscat regiment (the expanded former palace guard).
muscat , oman field force

some british officers attached each unit.

jebel akhdar campaigns

with field force occupying part of territory, ghalib tried declare imamate of oman independent, in december 1955 field force captured ghalib @ town of rostaq. released on recognisances.

rebellion in 1957

talib bin ali, imam s brother, had fled saudi arabia. returned there in 1957 300 well-equipped fighters, , insurrection broke out again. talib s forces occupied fortified tower near bilad sait, field force lacked heavy weapons destroy. after weeks inconclusive fighting, suleiman bin himyar, sheikh of 1 of major tribes in interior, openly proclaimed defiance of sultan, , began general uprising. muscat , oman field force largely destroyed tried retreat through hostile towns , villages.

the rebellion suppressed muscat regiment , trucial oman levies neighbouring united arab emirates. decisive factor however, intervention of infantry (two companies of cameronians) , armoured car detachments british army , aircraft of raf. talib s forces retreated inaccessible jebel akhdar. saf s attacks few paths jebel repelled.

stalemate 1957 - 1959

the sultan s army reorganised under british soldier, colonel david smiley. batinah force renamed northern frontier regiment , remnants of muscat , oman field force merged new oman regiment. within each unit , sub-unit, baluchi , arab soldiers mixed. prevented units defecting or openly sympathising rebels, led tensions within units, , orders not followed because of language problems. many of notionally omani soldiers recruited province of dhofar, , looked down upon other arabs.

the army still unable deal talib s stronghold. few paths jebel akhdar far narrow deploy attacking battalions or companies. 1 attempt made against southern face of jebel, using 4 infantry companies (including 2 companies trucial oman scouts, later become united arab emirates. attackers withdrew hastily after concluding vulnerable being ambushed , cut off. in attempt, infantry launched feint , withdrew while avro shackleton bombers of raf bombarded supposedly massed defenders. inflicted no casualties.

for 2 years, rebel infiltrators continually mined roads around jebel, , ambushed saf , british detachments , oil company vehicles. saf spread in small detachments in towns , villages @ foot of jebel, , vulnerable , on defensive. arms (mainly british weapons of world war ii vintage) less effective up-to-date equipment used talib s fighters. saf artillery unit 2 5.5 inch medium guns harassed settlements on plateau on top of jebel akhdar, little effect.

it estimated british officers full-scale attack british brigade required recapture jebel. smiley , others felt smaller operation special forces air support suffice. in 1959, 2 squadrons british special air service regiment deployed, under anthony deane-drummond. after making feint operations against outlying positions on north side of jebel, scaled southern face of jebel @ night, taking rebels surprise. supplies parachuted them once reached plateau; may have misled of rebels thinking assault paratroops. there little further fighting. talib , fighters either melted local population or fled saudi arabia.

later operations in oman

some insurgents continued cross oman saudi arabia or via uae, , laid landmines continued cause casualties saf units , civilian vehicles. saf lacked numbers prevent infiltration. paramilitary force, oman gendarmerie formed in 1960 assist saf in task, , take on normal policing duties. landmine campaign dwindled away.

the apparent threat oman @ point appeared shadowy marxist group attempted assassinate sultan s interior minister, , may have planted bombs on civil aircraft, including vickers viscount of united arab airlines broke in mid-air 27.5 kilometres (17.1 mi) north of elba on 29 september 1960, killing 23 people on board.

dhofar campaign

in 1964, rebellion began in southern province of dhofar, again supported saudi arabia. initial aims of rebellion greater autonomy region, , improvement in living standards.

the sultan s forces in dhofar consisted of irregular dhofar force, recruited local jibali tribes. in 1965 2 battalions of saf sent province. units of omani army @ time understrength, , badly equipped , trained. air force consisted of few piston-engined transport , ground-attack aircraft. navy possessed single dhow.

the dhofar force disbanded in 1966, after of members tried assassinate sultan. desert regiment raised replace it. southern regiment formed , baluchi soldiers concentrated in 2 battalions of regiment, although change took several years implement fully.

the rebellion continued @ low level until 1967. in year, establishment of people s democratic republic of yemen (pdry) adjacent dhofar, gave rebels access sources of arms, supplies , recruits, , radicalised rebel movement. pfloag, sought overthrow of sultanate , other pro-western regimes in persian gulf.

by 1969, adoo, rebels known, had overrun of dhofar, , there attacks on saf positions elsewhere in oman. clear sultan s british backers , advisors situation critical. said bin taimur s rule had been reactionary , despotic. progress since middle ages had been outlawed in oman. in 1970, sultan overthrown in palace coup, british connivance. son, qaboos bin said, replaced him.

reform , modernisation

qaboos had attended royal military academy sandhurst , served officer in british army 1st bn cameronians (scottish rifles). outlook far wider , more liberal father s. instituted major social , military reforms throughout country. part of hearts , minds campaign win on population of dhofar, amnesty declared surrendered rebels. former rebels formed firqat irregular units, trained , assisted teams special air service. firqats numbered 1800, , deprived rebels of local support in home areas.

meanwhile, regular units of army expanded , re-equipped. more omanis recruited , baluchis concentrated in separated units. large numbers of officers , nco instructors seconded british army , royal marines attached units. (there several british , commonwealth mercenaries). 2 new infantry units raised in 1971: frontier force (a baluchi unit) in dhofar, , jebel regiment in interior of oman.

the various supporting arms, had existed ad hoc units , detachments formally established. new corps artillery regiment, signal regiment, armoured car squadron, engineering unit, garrison detachment , training regiment. oman gendarmerie strengthened , modernised.

the air force acquired bac strikemaster , hawker hunter attack aircraft, shorts skyvan , caribou transport aircraft, , uh-1 iroquois helicopters, flown seconded raf or contract (i.e. mercenary) pilots. 2 pilatus porter air ambulances used extensively during dhofar conflict retained in air force until late 1970s.

later operations in dhofar

anti-aircraft missiles of oman artillery (land rovers towing rapier missile wheeled launchers)

the army established lines of defensive posts block rebel movements , supply trains, assisted troops supplied shah of iran. process took time, 1972 rebels being starved of support. retrieve situation, launched major attack on coastal town of mirbat, defeated firqats, gendarmerie , sas detachments, air support.

in 1973, saf offensive intended capture main rebel supply base @ shershitti caves defeated, although exposed position @ sarfait near border pdry captured. position, codenamed simba, held 2 years. meanwhile, adoo driven edge of former territory. offensive in 1975 isolated rebels pdry. rebellion declared on in 1976.

at end of period, army numbered 13,000. organised southern brigade (under brigadier john akehurst, responsible operations in dhofar), , northern brigade garrisoned rest of country. army s commander-in-chief during of dhofar rebellion major general timothy creasey, replaced near end of conflict major general ken perkins.

gulf wars

oregon national guard training in oman alongside omani army (u.s. army photo spc. cory grogan, oregon military department public affairs)

in years following end of dhofar rebellion, saf continued expand , modernise. links britain remained close , 3 uk armed services have provided advisers on loan service saf , arrangement remains in place; although numbers have steadily reduced omanisation progressed. 1 facility enjoyed britain use of airbase on masirah island off southern coast, staging post. united states granted same facilities, become important tension increased in persian gulf. in mid-1980s sultan of oman s air force (soaf) operated hawker hunter f6, sepecat jaguar , c-130 hercules aircraft in-country air base @ thumrait.

in 1987 there border conflict pdry saw whole of saf mobilised. sorties oman toyota pickup trucks armed dushka 12.5mm heavy machine guns killed several lightly-armed omani troops. pdry sent motorised infantry force reinforce border destroyed soaf jaguars. peace talks followed.

as part of gulf cooperation council (gcc), oman assigned infantry battalion force known peninsula shield during iran–iraq war.

in 1990, iraqi army unexpectedly invaded kuwait, member of gcc. large international coalition formed, first discourage further iraqi aggression. aims of coalition changed restoration of kuwaiti sovereignty, more forces deployed saudi arabia. oman s role in first gulf war base area , staging post large united states air force , british royal air force contingents deployed persian gulf. transport aircraft , tanker aircraft flew out of masirah, sultan of oman s air force did not directly participate in attacks on iraq.

an omani battalion served in saudi arabia, part of gcc contribution ground war liberate kuwait. formed part of saudi arabian-led task force omar along saudi 10th mechanised brigade. advanced kuwait on second day of ground offensive , had no casualties.

in 2001, oman hosted large contingent of british army, held exercise saif sareea ii (in 12500 members of saf participated). stated aims of exercise practise rapid deployment , test equipment in severe conditions. has been alleged in fact stage rehearsal britain s involvement in subsequent operations in u.s. invasion of afghanistan , 2003 invasion of iraq. exercise held prior attacks on usa in september, proximate cause of led attack on afghanistan.