Bahrain gets a ship and a navy

A former US Navy frigate given to Bahrain last year, arrived on July 9 to serve as the island nation's first warship. With the 3,500 ton Sabha, formerly the USS Jack Williams, in hand, Bahrain now has a frigate, said Betty Rowe, country program manager at the US Department of the Navy.

Bahrain, a close ally of the United States, is home to a key US navy base in the region.

Although the 200 million US dollar warship was a gift, Bahrain paid around 50 million US dollars for maintenance and upgrading of the ship's combat capabilities said Rowe.

The amount also included the payment for training the frigate's 240-member crew in the United States, she said.