Military Strength: 
Bahrain vs 
Oman
Oman (ranked #55 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Bahrain (#58) on the ARMS Index. Oman fields 47,000 active troops — 2.5:1 Bahrain's 19,000, backed by 4,400 paramilitary. Oman's $6.4B defense budget is 4.5:1 that of Bahrain ($1.4B).
ARMS (Aggregate Rating of Military Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
BahrainWorld #58
35.4
ARMS Index / 100
Oman leads overall, ahead on 2 of 6 pillars
OmanWorld #55
36.5
Bahrain
Oman
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · readiness modifier ×1.10 vs ×1.10 · Methodology
Key figures
| Bahrain | Oman | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $1.4B | $6.4B | 🇴🇲 4.5× |
| – share of GDP | 3.0% | 6.0% | 🇴🇲 2.0× |
| Active personnel | 19,000 | 47,000 | 🇴🇲 2.5× |
| Combat aircraft | 44 | 35 | 🇧🇭 1.3× |
| Warships | 65 | 17 | 🇧🇭 3.8× |
| – submarines | 0 | 0 | — |
| Main battle tanks | 150 | 150 | — |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 0 | 0 | — |
| Paramilitary forces | 11,260 | 4,400 | 🇧🇭 2.6× |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 136 | 126 | 🇧🇭 1.1× |
| – helicopters | 80 | 40 | 🇧🇭 2.0× |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $890 | $1,217 | 🇴🇲 1.4× |
| Population | 1.6M | 5.3M | 🇴🇲 3.3× |
| GDP | $47B | $107B | 🇴🇲 2.3× |
| GDP per capita | $29,654 | $20,285 | 🇧🇭 1.5× |
| Land area | 786 km² | 309,500 km² | 🇴🇲 394× |
| Coastline | 161 km | 2,092 km | 🇴🇲 13× |
Backbone systems most numerous in service
Defense budget history Bahrain ×0.9 · Oman ×0.8 since 2020
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Bahrain or Oman?
Oman has approximately 47,000 active military personnel compared to Bahrain's 19,000, giving Oman a 2.5:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Bahrain or Oman?
Bahrain operates 44 combat aircraft compared to Oman's 35. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Bahrain or Oman?
Bahrain has a larger navy with 65 vessels compared to Oman's 17 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Bahrain or Oman?
Oman has a larger defense budget at $6.4 billion (4.5:1 more) compared to Bahrain's $1.4 billion annually.
Do Bahrain and Oman have nuclear weapons?
Neither Bahrain nor Oman currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Bahrain and Oman compare?
Oman operates 150 main battle tanks compared to Bahrain's 150. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.