Cultural, Academic, Scientific, Religious and Sporting Activities of The Armed Forces

The Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the Royal Guard of Oman (RGO) attach great importance to providing personnel with opportunities to develop their cultural, academic, scientific, religious and sporting interests. Libraries and clubs linked through the Ministry of Defence’s internal network have been set up at SAF headquarters.

The RNOV Shabab Oman was commissioned into the RNO in 1979 as a traditional sail and adventure training vessel, providing outward bound and leadership training for civil and military personnel. She has traversed four continents and visited over 100 ports in 43 countries since being commissioned. In 2008 she made a European deployment visiting Arab ports en route to Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, the UK, Germany, Norway and the Netherlands. In August 2008 RNOV Shabab Oman was decorated with the international friendship prize at the completion of a race in the North Sea. The occasion represented the fifth time in the ship’s history of participating in such events: its contribution has previously been recognized in Denmark in 1996 and 2001, Japan in 1997 and Norway in 2005. The prize is awarded by the International Sailboat Racing Association to ships that excel in nurturing and promoting peace, cooperation and friendship with competing vessels and crews.

The SAF attaches importance to physical fitness and to this end it has established a number of sports facilities including a military sports complex and a shooting range. Sports competitions are held between teams from the different formations and the armed forces also take part in regional and international military events. The SAF shooting team and the national shooting team have a number of international championship wins under their belt.

The bands of the SAF and the RGO are highly trained and accomplished performers and regularly take part in both domestic and international festivals and competitions. In the summer of 2008 the RAO music band participated in the International Bagpipes Competition in Scotland, returning with eight trophies won in various events.