Sakhir Air Base (Bahrain)

Bahrain Air Show 2014

16-18 januari 2014

The 2014 edition of the biennial Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS) was held for the third time at Sakhir Air Base. It

is normally used by the Royal Bahrain Air Force (RBAF) for its VVIP fleet, but a large portion of the airport is built especially

for the air show, with a dedicated entrance to the chalet and show area. Making use of the impressive growth in aviation

in the gulf region, the air show had more participants and more visitors than the last edition. Around 30.000 people

were visiting as trade, while 22.000 people were making use of the dedicated viewing area. This year’s line-up had

some nice surprises with displays of the TAI T129A attack helicopter and Indian Air Force ERJ145SM AEW aircraft.

Civil
Biggest news released during BIAS were the start-up of two new airlines, Saudi Gulf and Al Maha. Both airlines are using

the liberalization of the Saudi Arabia domestic market and are aimed specifically at domestic routes. Saudi Gulf announced

its order for sixteen Bombardier CS300 single aisle commuter aircraft at the show, and also its option for ten more of these

aircraft. The aircraft, aimed at passengers who demand a premium product, will have a two class layout and will have

a high level of passenger comfort, also with regards to inflight entertainment and communication systems. Deliveries

for these aircraft will start in 2016. Saudi Gulf, being advised by Gulf Air, will be based in Damman and its first routes will

be to Riyadh and Jeddah, while other Saudi cities will follow with the subsequently deliveries of more aircraft. The other

airline, Al Maha, is owned by Qatar Airways and will begin its operation in the third quarter of this year. Although the first

ten aircraft will be leased to allow a rapid service entry, later aircraft, both single- and twin-aisle aircraft, will be diverted

from Qatar Airways’ extensive order book. Although no base has been announced, routings will be similar as for Saudi

Gulf, although with growth also destinations in the Gulf area will be added. Other news being released during the show

was expansion of the new to be built Khartoum International Airport. Work on the twin runways, 12 million passengers

capacity airport, located 45 km from Sudan’s capital, will start in May and the first phase, with a single runway and a

4.5 million passenger capacity terminal should be finished in July 2015. Local airline Gulf Air announced during the show

that it has cut its previous losses by half in 2013. It is operating in the shadow of fellow Gulf carriers and has shrunk its fleet

from 36 to 26 aircraft, and with the focus on regional routes, it has changed its order for twenty twin-aisle A330 aircraft

into eight A320 and sixteen A320neo single-aisle aircraft.

Military
Despite the excellent performances by the Typhoon display team and the presence of two Spitfires, both painted in

colours representative of the six aircraft paid for by the people of Bahrain during the second world war, no order

for the Typhoon was signed as a replacement for the twelve ageing F-5E/F fighters, delivered in 1985. Two of the main

tasks of the F-5E/F fighter are anti-ship missions and leadin fighter training. All RBAF fighter pilots are trained inhouse

on the T67 Firefly primary trainer and thereafter on the Hawk T Mk129 jet trainer. Both aircraft were delivered

around 2007 in a deal with BAe Systems. Then the pilots will be trained on the F-5E/F and only after 300 hours on type will

they progress to the F-16. If the DBAF will select the advanced Typhoon, they will have to readdress these two important

tasks, as the Typhoon is not suited as a lead-in trainer, nor the F-16, and up until now the Typhoon is not properly

equipped for the anti-shipping role. Talking about Typhoons, according the English delegation there will be no deal with

the UAEAF mainly because the UAEAF demands a buy-back of the to-be-replaced Mirage 2000-9 fighters. Meanwhile, the

RSAF Typhoon pilots told that 10sq is almost operational on the Typhoon. The Typhoon on static display had just been

delivered from Warton. Another DBAF aircraft which will have to be replaced in the near future are the AH-1 Hueycobra

anti-tank helicopters. Two contenders were in place at the BIAS; the AH-1Z and the T129. The Turkish built T129 made a

rare appearance and even did his demo. TAI also took a RBAF instructor pilot along for a ride who was very positive with

regards to the T-129’s speed and agility and he favoured it above the AH-1Z. The T129 has more powerful engines than

the AgustaWestland A129 and all equipment is also made in Turkey. The helicopter on show was a T129A which lacks the

advanced anti-tank missiles of the T129B variant and were ordered under a 2010 urgent operational requirement. At

this moment, the first A models are flying and pilots and technicians are being trained on type. Expect first deliveries

to the Turkish Land Forces later this year. And as all modern air forces will need a AEW aircraft at some stage, the newest

one was also on the show. The Embraer ERJ145SM showed its ugly face at the static and during its air show routine. This is

the second of six ordered by the Indian Air Force and it flew in from India. The third aircraft will arrive in India in the

near future. It has the Swedish Erieye AESA radar on top of its fuselage, a refueling probe above the cockpit windows and

many other systems hidden under many fairings.

Show
In the afternoon, it was time for the air show element. It started with the BDF Special Forces Parachute Team whose

members were jumped out of a RBAF Blackhawk helicopter. Thereafter, it was time for the Gulf Air A330 fly past, escorted

by four F-16s and four F-5s. This is always impressive and a good way to get some serials from these rare aircraft. The

three display teams rotated during the show days to assure every team did a routine at the end of the show. In between,

there was a show of force by the F-22A, temporarily based at Al Dhafra, and by the B-1B, which came from Al Udeid.

Also nice was the DHL aerobatic team which teamed up with a DHL B757 for a neat fly past. After sunset, the dark sky was

lighted by the SWIP aerobatic team which performed their pyro display in two SA110 Silence Twister light aircraft. Also

after sunset, the large apron lights were turned on which allowed some fancy night shots of most aircraft on static. The

static itself was well arranged with proper space between all aircraft. All aircraft on the flight line were next to the static

and could easily be seen and photographed. Main problem at Bahrain is that you are facing the sun during the show.

However, along the northwestern side of the airport, there is a dirt road which gives a good view onto the runway, taxi

track and on the show itself, with the sun in your back. This road can be reached by following directions to the University

from the end of the highway. Just before the University gate, drive into the sand towards the airport.

2016
The BIAS will be back in 2016 between 21 and 23 January.

Static:
203	F-16C	2nd FTS	FMS 98-2014

336

UH-60M

3rd HS

703147

343

AB212

3rd HS

5596

506

Hawk Mk129

5th Squadron

683

F-5E

6th FTS

FMS85-0058

974

AH-1F

9th HS

22317

1061

Bo105C

10th HS

S-252

RBAF 966

S-70M

Royal Flight

703278

A9C-BDF

BAe146-RJ85

Royal Flight

138/104-GQ

Rafale C

EC03.030

13-1005

T129A

TAI

also flying

ZJ914/QO-X

Typhoon FGR4

3sq

PM651/X

Spitfire PR.XIX

preserved

G-CCCA/’W3632”

Spitfire T9C

ex PV202

also flying

KW3556

ERJ145SM

DRDO

14501135 also flying

8811

Hawk Mk65A

88sq

Saudi Hawks colours

1009

Typhoon F2

10sq

CS021

UAE836/N6151A

Beech C90GTI

MoP Affairs

LJ-1951

05-1435

C-130J

143rd AS RI ANG

5572

88-1708/SJ

F-15E

335th FS

168050/YX-46

AH-1Z

VMM-166

167794/YX-32

UH-1Y

VMM-166

164770/TB-03

MH-53E

HM-15

165412/CE-03

F/A-18D

VMFA(AW)-225

166793/AC-101

F/A-18F

VFA-32

168243/YX-01

MV-22B

VMM-166

RA-78818

Il-76MD

224 Flight Unit

RA-78765

Il-76TD

Aviacon Zitotrans

(OE-XAE)

Arrowcopter

025

A6-CJE

A319-115(ACJ)

Emirates Executive

16-17

A6-EES

A380-861

Emirates

16-17

A6-ORX

G450

Falcon Aviation Services

A6-XAD

Aeroprakt-22LS

164

A6-XLG

Aeroprakt-22LS

171

A6-XYD

Aeroprakt-22LS

267

A7-ATT

P2006T

094

A7-BCF

B787-8

Qatar Airways

A7-CEV

BD5000

Qatar Executive

A7-FCK

PA-28-181

2890191

A7-GHO

AW139

Gulf Helicopters

31523

A7-KAC

P2002JF

227

A7-NHA

MD900

Life Flight

MD900-00125

A7-UAO

Tecnam P92

1448

A7-USS

Autogyro MTO Sport

Q10S03

A7-UEE

Calidus Gyrate

C00231

A7-UFF

Calidus Gyrate

V00076

A9C-ACE

CL605

TAG Aviation

5778

A9C-AP

A320-214

Gulf Air

A9C-DHD

B757-225(PCF)

DHL International Aviation

D-MFDC

Arrowcopter

also flying

D-MGLS

Arrowcopter

also flying

G-EEEK

EA300S

G-Force Aerobatics/DHL &

G-EXIL

EA300S

G-Force Aerobatics/DHL &

HZ-NJ1

Ce172S

172S10469

N1SA

Falcon 900EX

OnTime Avn Corp

128

N256NM

Beech 350

Beechcraft

FL-777

N450GA

G450

Gulfstream

4275

N522CM

Kodiak 100

100-0010

N610AT

AT-6B

Beechcraft

N650GA

G650

Gulfstream

N980VP

Ce525

OnTime Avn Corp

(HZ-NJ4)

P4-CLA

B767-2DX(ER)

Comlux Aviation

Public area:
342	AB212	RBAF	5594

1063

Bo105C

RBAF

S-323

BPS-9

Bell 412EP

Police Aviation

36475

Near tower:
321	AB212	RBAF

MoP Affairs stands for Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Flightline:
ZJ923/DM	Typhoon FGR4	11sq

ZJ932/DB

Typhoon FGR4

11sq

3080,3081

F-16E

UAEAF&AD

724,738

Mirage 2000-9

UAEAF&AD

A6-MMM

B747-422

Dubai Air Wing

18

G-SWIP

Silence Twister

SWIP Team

G-JINX

Silence Twister

SWIP Team

G-JOKR

EA300/L

Catherine Jefferies

N707TJ

N2S-1

Breitling

ex BuNo 3173

N5057V

PT-13D

Breitling

ex 42-17435

Su-27/27UB* of Russkiye Vityazi:
08 bl 36911038304, 10 bl 36911038405, 12 bl xxxxxx35103, 20 bl*,

23 bl* 96310417101

Hawk Mk65/65A* of 88sq/Saudi Hawks:
8805*, 8806*, 8807, 8808, 8814, 8816, 8820

MB339NAT of UAE Aerobatic Squadron/Al Fursan:
430/4, 431/-, 432/2, 434/5, 435/3, 436/6, 438/-, 439/7, 440/1

Flying only:
103	F-16C	1st FTS	16,17

109

F-16C

1st FTS

17

154

F-16D

1st FTS

16

201,208

F-16C

2nd FTS

16,17

202

F-16C

2nd FTS

16

681

F-5E

6th FTS

16,17

682

F-5E

6th FTS

17

685,686

F-5E

6th FTS

16,17

687

F-5E

6th FTS

16

85-0080/DY

B-1B

28th BS

16,17

06-4122/AK

F-22A

3rd Wing

17

07-4139/AK

F-22A

3rd Wing

16

A9C-DHE

B757-225(PCF)

DHL Int Av

16,17,18

A9C-KE

A330-243

Gulf Air

16,17,18

Support:
472	C-130H	4sq	15

478

C-130H

4sq

19

486

C-130H

4sq

19

1630

C-130H-30

16sq

19

1213

C-130H

UAEAF&AD

17

Credits: Frank Mink, Patrick Dirksen and Jurgen van Toor

Many thanks for their extensive log.

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