MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Supreme Commander, presided over a military parade staged at the military parade ground of Adam Air Base in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah on Saturday on the occasion of the 53rd Glorious National Day.
The event saw the participation of symbolic units representing the Royal Army of Oman (RAO), the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), the Royal Guard of Oman (RGO), the Sultan’s Special Force (SSF), the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and the Royal Court Affairs (RCA), in addition to the ground and mounted military music bands.
Upon His Majesty Sultan’s arrival at the parade grounds, he was received by HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs; Gen. Sultan bin Mohammed al Nuamani, Minister of the Royal Office; Vice Admiral Abdullah bin Khamis al Raisi, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and Air Vice Marshal Khamis bin Hammad Al Ghafri, Commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO).
When His Majesty the Sultan ascended the Royal Dais, columns of the parade performed the military salute. The joint corps of military bands played the Royal Anthem, while the Sultan of Oman’s Artillery fired a 21-gun salute to His Majesty the Sultan.
Then, the parade commander stepped forward to the Royal Dais, requesting His Majesty the Sultan to signal the start of the military show. The joint corps of military music bands representing the RAO, the RAFO, the RNO, the RGO, the ROP, and the RCA played sundry tunes as they marched at a slow and normal pace before the Royal Dais.
Then, columns of the Protocols Guard joined the parade and performed ceremonial gestures to the accompaniment of melodies from the joint corps of military music bands—performing the military salute to His Majesty, the Supreme Commander.
His Majesty the Sultan watched a musical show staged by mounted bands representing the RGO cavalry and the Royal Cavalry at the RCA. They passed before the Royal Dais, performing the military salute to His Majesty the Sultan.
Later, the columns of the parade performed an ensemble of cheers that proclaimed “Faith in Allah, Loyalty to the Sultan, Sacrifice for the Nation”. They chanted thrice “Long Live His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Supreme Commander”.
Then, the joint corps of military music bands played the Royal Anthem, while the columns of the parade performed the military salute marking the conclusion of the military show.
Then, His Majesty the Sultan left the parade grounds.
The military parade was attended alongside His Majesty the Sultan by Royal family members, ministers, advisers, chairmen of the State Council and Shura Council, commanders of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF), commanders of military and security units, heads of the diplomatic missions of the Arab and foreign countries accredited to the Sultanate of Oman, members of the State Council and Shura Council, undersecretaries, governors, ambassadors at the Foreign Ministry, retired military commanders, judges, members of the Public Prosecution Department, walis, sheiks and dignitaries.
It was also attended by the military attaches of the Arab and foreign embassies in the Sultanate of Oman, senior military officers, senior state officials, senior retired officers, commissioned and non-commissioned officers at SAF, and other military and security units.
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