The media are once again "getting it wrong." It is the "5th Fleet,' not the "6th Fleet" that has its headquarters at "Naval Support Activity" Manama, Bahrain. A US Navy numbered fleet headquarters has operational control of naval units (ships, air groups, and marine amphibious units) temporarily "given" to it while in they are in its geographical area of responsibility on deployment from home ports and bases in the United States. Such is the case with 5th Fleet. It is a headquarters, a service component or part of US Central Command.
The NSA Manama is a modernization of the old British Royal Navy base "Juffair." When the British left the Gulf, the US started to use part of the facility as a headquarters for the very small (2 or 3 ships) US naval force that was there for many years. One of the chief enducements for the then "emir" of Bahrain to allow this was the use of the American school for children that came with the small headquarters.
Today, NSA Manama provides space for the 5th Fleet Headquarters, limited supply and maintenance facilities and a Base Exchange (store) and recreation facilities for sailore and marines on shore leave.
This is a useful facility, but hardly "key" in the sense that the media are portraing it. pl
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Fifth_Fleet
Wll the British Navy departed in 1971 and US been involved since they. Locating a strategic base in any kingdom, and in particular where the KING is a Sunni and the majority of the Bahrains are Shia seems to be the typical forward thinking of the decendants of Albert Thayer Mahan. Also IRAN claims this Island but apparently modified its claim as long as Egypt gives passage to any Iranian Warship through the SUEZ. FREEDOM of the SEAS?
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 19 February 2011 at 10:33 AM
WRC
To call NSA Bahrain "a strategic base" is stretching things a bit. pl
Posted by: Patrick Lang | 19 February 2011 at 11:26 AM
As far as I know, there's still a NIOC (formerly NSGA) SIGINT station there, which should be moderately useful for listening to Iran and other places in the vicinity.
Posted by: Allen Thomson | 19 February 2011 at 06:08 PM
Would it be strategic if held by IRAN?
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 20 February 2011 at 12:30 AM
I have heard that $550 million has been allocated for military construction in the Persian(Arabian) Gulf area by the USA.
If this is true, where is the money going??
Posted by: R Whitman | 20 February 2011 at 08:30 AM
WRC
In re NSA Bahrain, No. pl
Posted by: Patrick Lang | 20 February 2011 at 09:18 AM
Whitman -- there is a 5 year upgrade/expansion of port facilities costing about that much that started last April in Bahrain. There are press releases stating how the money is being spent from about that time. From memory, about 20% to be spent locally, the rest to be recycled into US contractors.
Posted by: DanM | 20 February 2011 at 09:33 AM