Royal Jordanian Navy

The Royal Jordanian Naval Force traces its origins to a coast guard element formed in 1951 and adopted its present title in 1991. It is not an independent service but a branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces – Arab Army, headed by a Commander of the Royal Naval Force who reports to the General Command in Amman. The associated Royal Boats Command handles related craft procurement and support. Jordan's coastline extends roughly 26 kilometres along the Gulf of Aqaba, and the entire force operates from a single base complex at Aqaba, the country's only maritime outlet. Personnel strength is in the high hundreds, separate from the 77th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion, which provides the boarding and amphibious raiding element.

The inventory contains no submarines, frigates, corvettes or amphibious shipping; the largest units are patrol craft in the 30 to 40 metre range. The Al Hussein class, three Hawk-type fast patrol boats built by Vosper Thornycroft between 1989 and 1991, carry 30 mm and 20 mm mountings and remain the heaviest-armed vessels in service. The Al Hashim class comprises Type 412 boats of German origin. Smaller categories include the Abdullah class, the Faysal class built on Bertram and Commander hulls, the locally assembled AMP-137 type, and the Falcon class fitted with remote-controlled weapon stations. Response Boat–Medium craft of 13.6 metres, supplied through the Fincantieri Marinette Marine and Vigor consortium under United States security assistance, are capable of speeds above 40 knots and support visit, board, search and seizure work, interdiction and search and rescue. Two 37-metre patrol boats were contracted from Marine Group Boat Works of Chula Vista, California, under a Naval Sea Systems Command foreign military sales arrangement. Special operations detachments field rigid-hulled inflatable boats and launches.

Tasking centres on territorial water surveillance across the narrow Gulf of Aqaba, protection of the port of Aqaba and the adjacent industrial and container terminals, security of offshore energy and marine infrastructure, counter-smuggling and narcotics interdiction, and search and rescue. Patrol areas are constrained by the proximity of Israeli, Egyptian and Saudi waters, requiring routine coordination with neighbouring authorities. The force also patrols the Aqaba Marine Park. Jordan contributes to the Combined Maritime Forces framework based in Bahrain, including Combined Task Force 152, and has an interest in Red Sea shipping security given the disruption to Aqaba traffic caused by attacks on merchant vessels in the Bab al-Mandab approaches.

Procurement has shifted toward new suppliers. In February 2026 the Royal Naval Force and Royal Boats Command signed a contract with the Turkish state defence firm ASFAT at Istanbul Naval Shipyard for five mid-sized patrol boats intended for coast guard duties, maritime border protection and search and rescue.