Britain Plans to Open First Persian Gulf Naval Base by Late 2016

Britain's Ambassador to Bahrain said that the new British naval base will allow the UK to station next-generation aircraft carriers in the region.

The British naval base in Bahrain's capital Manama will be completed by the end of 2016, British ambassador to the country Iain Lindsay said on Monday.

The Manama base will be the first European military base located in the Persian Gulf since 1971. The base will allow Britain to station large ships in the Gulf, including next-generation aircraft carriers.

The base, which is being built by Bahrain's royal government, has been resented by Bahrain's opposition movement.