Bahrain Defence Force
The Bahrain Defence Force is the military force of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Bahrain Defence Force is under the command of Bahrain's Ministry of Defence and under the leadership of a commander-in-chief who holds the rank of field marshal.
It numbers about 18,000 personnel and consists of the Royal Bahraini Air Force, Royal Bahraini Army, Royal Bahraini Navy and the Royal Guard. Apart from the BDF, the public security forces and the Coast Guard report to the Ministry of Interior.
In January 2008, the Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamud bin Isa Al Khalifa was appointed as the Deputy Supreme Commander, while Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the BDF. BDF's Chief of Staff is Lieutenant General Theyab bin Saqer Al Noaimi.
GCC support
Bahrain, in conjunction with its GCC partners has moved to upgrade its defenses in response to the threat posed by the Iran-Iraq and Persian Gulf wars.In 1982, the GCC gave Bahrain $1.7 billion to help improve its defenses. Bahrain's defense spending since 1999 has been steady. The government spends around $320 million annually on their military.
U.S. support
After the Gulf War, Bahrain received additional military support from the United States, including the sale of 54 M60A3 tanks, 12 F-16C/D aircraft, and 14 Cobra helicopters. Joint naval, air and ground exercises also have been planned and executed to increase readiness throughout the Persian Gulf. Bahrain and the United States signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement in October 1991, granting U.S. forces access to Bahraini facilities and ensuring the right to pre-position material for future crises. In 2003, George W. Bush designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally of the United States. Since 2003, Bahrain has been granted over $100 million in Foreign Military Funding to pay for various high-profile weapons systems, to include an AN/TPS-593B Early Warning Radar, Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures, Air-to-Air Missile Avoidance System for the King's Plane, as well as an Avenger Air Defense Vehicle.Commanders-in-Chief of the BDF
| # | Name | Picture | Took Office | Left Office |
| 1 | Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | |||
| 2 | Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | |||
| 3 | Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa | picture | Still |