The Royal Bahrain Navy contributed its Sabha FFG 90 frigate to Arabian
Shark. The U.S. Navy deployed the USS Philippine Sea, a coast guard cutter,
and USS Carney, a destroyer.
In March 2008, Bahrain became the first GCC state to take command of
CTF-152, which conducts maritime security operations in the central and
southern Arabian Gulf. Bahrain also hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet.
Bahrain has become the lead GCC state in military cooperation with the
United States and NATO. On Thursday, Bahrain signed an agreement with NATO
for an exchange of security information.
The signing took place during a one-day NATO conference in Manama,
attended by an alliance delegation of 110 people, including ambassadors from
all 26 member states. The conference focused on Gulf security and
cooperation proposals.
So far, NATO has signed agreements with four GCC states -- Bahrain,
Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Manama said the agreement could
pave the way for the eventual exchange of classified data with NATO.