On April 16, 2023, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain.
Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Command, welcomed His Majesty the King, along with U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain Stephen Bondy. The leaders and His Majesty the King discussed operations by the U.S. Navy and regional partners, including strengthening international cooperation at sea and integrating unmanned and artificial intelligence technologies.
Mr. Cooper said, “We are deeply honored to welcome His Majesty the King and deeply appreciate our long-standing strategic partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain.” “Bahrain remains a strong ally of the United States and a key leader in regional maritime security.”
In addition to the U.S. 5th Fleet, Bahrain is home to two U.S.-led international maritime partnerships: the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and the International Maritime Security Structure (IMSC).
The CMF is the world’s largest maritime partnership, comprised of 38 partner nations’ navies contributing to four operational forces across the Middle East. The IMSC is a naval coalition of 11 nations that was formed three years ago in response to threats to merchant seafarers passing through nearby waters. Bahrain is a member of both organizations.
The last time His Majesty the King visited the Headquarters of the US 5th Fleet was in August 2019.
The U.S. 5th Fleet has 8,000 troops stationed in Bahrain and operating in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and three key choke points: the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Bab al-Mandeb. Includes 1,000 U.S. personnel and their families.