Royal Bahamas Defence Force

The Defence Force has responsibility for patrolling some 100,000 square miles of territorial waters that consist of more than 1,000 islands, rocks and cays sprawled over a distance of some 600 miles. The territorial boundaries cover a distance roughly equivalent to the distance between Puerto Rico in the northern Caribbean Chain to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the south. When added together, the combined distance of The Bahamas’ coastline is approximately 2,200 miles, second only to that of the Republic of Cuba, creating a porous border that is difficult to monitor.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force strategy is to decentralize Defence Force operations through the establishment of bases in the north, south and central Bahamas equipped with patrol boats and aircraft to maximize the use of minimal resources in patrolling the territorial boundaries of our islands. Additionally, it is intended to work more closely with local law enforcement agencies and regional partners as a force multiplier for addressing current challenges.

The Bahama Islands lie in the midst of the hurricane belt surrounded by tropical waters rich in fisheries resources. These islands extend from approximately 50 miles east of the southern Florida coast in the north to some 90 miles off of the island of Hispaniola (The Dominican Republic and Republic of Haiti) in the south. In addition to being a conduit for people seeking economic refuge in the United States, The Bahamas is a transit country for drug traffickers originating from South America and/or the Caribbean.

As a result of The Bahamas’ geographical outlay, the Defence Force must address the following threats to The Bahamas’ national security:

• Poaching of fisheries resources Small arms smuggling
• Drug smugglingMigrant smuggling
• Terrorist- related activities
• Hurricanes

The Defence Force is primarily an armed service, whose roles also encompass some aspects of a coast guard as well as a disaster relief agency. These roles require Defence Force personnel to assume the duties of:

• Naval and infantry personnel
• Police Officers (Peace Officer)
• Customs Officers
• Immigration Officers
• Fisheries Inspectors
• Emergency rescue personnel
• Search and rescue
• Sentry
• Detention Center security
• Maintenance of Navigational Aids