Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, welcomed His Majesty the King along with U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain Steven Bondy. The leaders and His Majesty the King discussed U.S. Navy and regional partner operations, including efforts to strengthen international cooperation at sea and integrate unmanned and artificial intelligence technology.
“We are highly honored to host His Majesty the King, and we are deeply grateful for our longstanding strategic partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said Cooper. “Bahrain remains a strong U.S. ally and important leader in regional maritime security.”
In addition to U.S. 5th Fleet, Bahrain hosts the headquarters for two U.S.-led international maritime partnerships: Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC).
CMF is the largest maritime partnership in the world, consisting of naval forces from 38 partner nations that contribute to four operational task forces across the Middle East. IMSC an 11-nation naval coalition formed three years ago in response to threats to merchant mariners transiting regional waters. Bahrain is a member of both organizations.
His Majesty the King last visited U.S. 5th Fleet headquarters in August 2019.
U.S. 5th Fleet includes 8,000 American personnel and families stationed in Bahrain and operating in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.
