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Further Reading

Royal Oman Air Force (ROAF)

While the Royal Air Force of Oman (ROAF) (Al-Quwwat al-Jawiyya al-Sultaniyya al-’Umaniyya) is not the largest or most modern air force in the Gulf, it is one of the most professional air forces in the Arab world. The Royal Oman Air Force had a strength of about 3,500 in 1992. Its forty-four combat aircraft of British manufacture consist of two fighter-ground attack squadrons of modern Jaguars, a ground attack and reconnaissance squadron of older Hunters, and a squadron of Strikemasters and Defenders for counterinsurgency, maritime reconnaissance, and training purposes. The air force is fairly well equipped with three transport squadrons and two squadrons of helicopters for troop transport and medical transport.

Rapier SAMs are linked to an integrated air control and early warning network based on a Martello radar system. Skyvan aircraft fitted with radar and special navigational gear conduct maritime reconnaissance and antipollution patrols. The principal air bases are at Thamarit in the south and on Masirah. Others are collocated with the international airport at As Sib, at Al Khasab on the Musandam Peninsula, at Nazwah, and at Salalah. Officer and pilot training takes place at the Sultan Qabus Air Academy on Masirah. Pilots of fighter aircraft receive advanced training in Britain.

By 1997 the Omani air force was conducting a study into its future combat-aircraft strategy, including consideration of a Jaguar upgrade programme, which would extend the aircraft's life until at least 2005. British Aerospace proposed the Swedish Saab JAS39 Gripen to Oman as a replacement for its Sepecat Jaguar combat aircraft, while Lockheed Martin offered secondhand and new-build F-16s.

On 04 October 2001, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Oman of F-16 C/D Fighters, associated weapons and equipment and technical and logistical support for the fighters. The Government of Oman has requested a possible sale of 12 F-16C/D Block 50+ aircraft with either the F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 engine and APG-68(V)XM FMS radars; two spare F100-PW-229 or two spare F110-GE-129 engines; 14 LANTIRN Targeting Pods (FMS variant); 14 LANTIRN Navigation Pods with Terrain Following Radar (TFR); 50 AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and 10 AMRAAM training missiles; 100 AIM-9M-8/9 SIDEWINDER missiles and 10 SIDEWINDER training missiles; 80 AGM-65D/G MAVERICK missiles and 10 MAVERICK training missiles; 20 AGM-84D HARPOON Air-Launched Anti-ship missiles; 100 Enhanced-GBU-10 and 100 Enhanced-GBU-12 PAVEWAY II laser guided bomb kits; 80 GBU-31/32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions; LANTIRN Night Vision Goggle compatible cockpits; and the capability to employ a wide variety of munitions. Associated support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits, spares and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to ensure full program supportability will also be provided. In an effort to modernize its Air Force, in October 2001, after years of consideration, Omanpurchased (with its own funds) 12 U.S.-made F-16 C/D aircraft from new production. Along with associated weapons (Harpoon and AIM missiles), a podded reconnaissance system, and training, the sale was valued at about $825 million, less than the initially estimated cost of $1,120 million. Oman's decision to buy U.S.-made F-16 fighters signals a departure from the country's traditional reliance on British-made weapons. Deliveries for Oman began in 2005; deliveries were completed in 2006. In 2002 Oman purchased $49 million worth of F-16 ammunition to supplement their 2001 purchase of the F16 aircraft.

Oman’s most high-profile requirement was for a replacement for its ageing Jaguars, and to provide a more robust air defence and air superiority capability than can be guaranteed by Block 50 F-16s. The front runner to provide a new generation fighter was widely believed to be the Eurofighter Typhoon. It was reported that Oman would eventually receive as many as 18-24 Eurofighter Typhoons, perhaps refurbished and upgraded ex-RAF aircraft. Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen was also reported to be under consideration, though this fighter faded from view. French offers to sell the Dassault Rafale to Oman, made by French president Nicolas Sarkozy during a meeting with Sultan Qaboos bin Said in February 2009, also went nowhere.

On August 3, 2010 the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Oman of 18 F-16 Block 50/52 aircraft and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $3.5 Billion.

The Government of Oman requested a possible sale of 18 F-16 Block 50/52 aircraft, 20 F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 Increased Performance Engines, 36 LAU- 129/A Common Rail Launchers, 24 APG-68(V)9 radar sets, 20 M61 20mm Vulcan Cannons, 22 AN/ARC-238 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems with HAVE QUICK I/II, 40 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems, 36 LAU-117 MAVERICK Launchers, 22 ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS) or Advanced Countermeasures Electronic Systems (ACES) (ACES includes the ALQ-187 Electronic Warfare System and AN/ALR-93 Radar Warning Receiver), Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) Systems with Mode IV, 34 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded-GPS/Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), 18 AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER Targeting Pods or similarly capable system, 4 DB-110 Reconnaissance Pods (RECCE), 22 AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispensing Systems (CMDS), and 35 ALE-50 Towed Decoys.

Also included is the upgrade of the existing 12 F-16 Block 50/52 aircraft, site survey, support equipment, tanker support, ferry services, Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD), conformal fuel tanks, construction, modification kits, repair and return, modification kits, spares and repair parts, construction, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, ground based flight simulator, and other related elements of logistics support. This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

The proposed sale will provide a significant increase in the Royal Air Force of Oman’s (RAFO) capability to train with U.S. and coalition forces and augment coalition forces in a regional conflict. The F-16 Block 50/52 will enable Oman to support both its own air defense needs and coalition operations. Oman currently has 12 F-16s in its inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing these additional aircraft into its armed forces.

On 14 December 2011 Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $600,000,000 dollar firm-fixed-price, time-and-material and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a Foreign Military Sales program that will provide the government of Oman with following: 12 F-16 C/D Block 50 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (10 C models, two D models); support equipment; technical orders; and integrated logistics support. The location of the performance is Fort Worth, Texas. Work is expected to be completed Nov. 30, 2016. This was a sole-source acquisition. Therefore, one proposal was received. ASC/WWMK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8615-12-C-6011).