Qatar Emiri Air Force
The Qatar Emiri Air Force, named in 1974 and descended from a two-helicopter police air wing of 1967, has turned in a decade from a dozen Mirage 2000-5s into a fleet of Rafales, F-15QAs and Typhoons bought from three different powers, shares its headquarters at Al Udeid with the largest US base in the Middle East, and in March 2026 claimed its first air-to-air kills against Iranian bombers.
The Qatar Emiri Air Force story: a police air wing in 1967, three fighters from three countries and the first kills in 2026
1967–1979: from a police air wing to an air force
Qatar’s air arm began as a consequence of Britain’s retreat from the Gulf. According to English Wikipedia, the British announcement of March 1967 that it would withdraw its forces led Qatar to build armed forces of its own, and the air element started as the Qatar Public Security Forces Air Wing with two Westland Whirlwind helicopters. Combat capability arrived in 1971 with three ex-Royal Air Force Hawker Hunters, which served until 1981. GlobalSecurity, a secondary compilation, likewise describes the Hunters as the first fixed-wing combat type and says the air wing of the Public Security forces became the air force in 1974, the year Wikipedia gives for the name Qatar Emiri Air Force. No founding day has been published on a source reached for this page, so the date is given as the year only. For its first decade the service was a handful of aircraft attached to a small state that had become independent in 1971.
1979–1991: French jets and the Gulf War
The service grew with the gas money of the late 1970s, and it bought French. Wikipedia says six Alpha Jets were ordered in 1979 and 14 Mirage F1s in 1980, delivered between 1980 and 1984; the Mirage F1 article records 12 single-seat F1EDA and two two-seat F1DDA built for Qatar. Twelve armed Gazelles followed from 1983, and GlobalSecurity counts 12 Westland Commando Mk 3 helicopters delivered between 1975 and 1984. In 1991 Qatar joined the coalition against Iraq. GlobalSecurity says Qatari aircraft began strikes on Iraqi forces on 22 January 1991; the Qatari contribution best documented in what was reached is on the ground, where two Qatari AMX-30 tank companies fought in the retaking of Khafji. Sortie numbers for the Qatari air arm were not found in an accessible source.
1994–2011: Mirage 2000-5, Al Udeid and Libya
In 1994 Qatar became, in UPI’s words, the third Mirage 2000-5 customer and the first to take the multirole version: nine 2000-5EDA and three two-seat 2000-5DDA, delivered from late 1997, according to Wikipedia. The same decade produced Al Udeid, a large base south-west of Doha that Al Jazeera says was established in 1996 and that the US Air Force began using in late September 2001; it became the main American air hub in the region and, by Al Jazeera’s figure, holds about 10,000 troops. In March 2011 the small Mirage fleet had its first expeditionary war. Wikipedia says six Mirage 2000-5EDA and two C-17s were deployed to Crete for the Libyan no-fly zone; US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Qatar as the first Arab country to send planes, and NATO lists Qatar among the partners of Operation Unified Protector.
2012–2022: three fighters from three countries
Libya showed the limits of a dozen Mirages, and the 2010s were spent replacing them on a scale out of proportion to a country of Qatar’s size. Qatar signed for 24 Rafales on 4 May 2015 and took up an option for 12 more on 7 December 2017. It signed for F-15QA Strike Eagles: Boeing says 36 were ordered under a 2017 US contract, while later reporting and Wikipedia put the total at 48. And on 10 December 2017 the UK government announced the sale of 24 Typhoons for about 6 billion pounds, with Hawk trainers and a joint RAF–Qatari squadron at RAF Coningsby. Around them came 24 PC-21s, C-17s, AH-64E Apaches and NH90s. The result, as Wikipedia puts it, is three different fighter types from three different countries: a deliberate hedge across Paris, London and Washington that is also a heavy training and maintenance burden for a small air force.
2017–2026: blockade, Al Udeid under fire, and the first kills
The buying spree coincided with Qatar’s political isolation. On 5 June 2017 Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties, and the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, in which Qatari aircraft had flown since March 2015, announced that Qatar was no longer welcome; Qatar called the measures unjustified. The two wars between Iran and the United States then came to Qatar directly. On 23 June 2025 Iran fired missiles at Al Udeid; Qatari officials said they were intercepted, one hit the base and no one was hurt, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard called it a powerful and devastating attack. On 2 March 2026, three days after the US and Israel began striking Iran, Qatar’s defence ministry said its air force had shot down two Iranian Su-24s, the first air-to-air kills claimed by the service. Qatar has denied joining the campaign against Iran.
What it adds up to
The Qatar Emiri Air Force is now one of the best-equipped small air forces in the world and one of the least transparent. It publishes almost nothing about its own structure; most of what is known comes from contractors, foreign governments and press reporting. FlightGlobal’s directory lists 36 Rafales, 46 F-15QAs and 24 Typhoons, on paper about a hundred modern fighters for a service Wikipedia puts at about 2,000 people, which is why so much of its training is done abroad: Typhoon and Hawk crews in Britain, M-346 students in Italy, and from October 2025 an F-15QA facility at Mountain Home in Idaho. Its main base is shared with the largest American military presence in the Middle East. What 2026 proved is that the jets can fight; what it did not answer is whether a service this size can man and sustain three fighter fleets for the long term.
The Qatar Emiri Air Force in numbers
שֵׁרוּת
- שם מקומי
- القوات الجوية الأميرية القطريةAl-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Amiriya al-Qatariya. Arabic as given in English Wikipedia; the Ministry of Defence site mod.gov.qa could not be reached when this page was checked
- מְבוּסָס
- 1974Named Qatar Emiri Air Force in 1974 (Wikipedia). It grew out of the Qatar Public Security Forces Air Wing set up after March 1967; no exact founding day was found
- חלק מ
- Qatar Armed ForcesUnder the Ministry of Defence; the minister in October 2025 was Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
- מַטֶה
- Al Udeid Air BaseWikipedia gives Al Udeid as the headquarters; the base is shared with US and coalition forces
- מְפַקֵד
- Maj. Gen. (Pilot) Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-DosariAs named by English Wikipedia; not confirmed on an official Qatari page reachable for this check, and his start date was not found
- שר ההגנה
- Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al ThaniNamed as Qatar’s defence minister at the Mountain Home announcement of 10 October 2025
כּוֹחַ
- כוח אדם
- כ-2,000Wikipedia’s figure. GlobalSecurity gives 800 in 1992 and 2,100 in 2010. The IISS Military Balance could not be consulted
- מטוסי קרב
-
- Dassault Rafale EQ/DQ — 36
- Boeing F-15QA — 46–48
- Eurofighter Typhoon — 24
FlightGlobal lists 36 Rafales, 46 F-15QAs and 24 Typhoons; Wikipedia gives 48 F-15QAs. FlightGlobal also still lists nine Mirage 2000-5EDA and six Alpha Jets, which Wikipedia treats as retired
- תַחְבּוּרָה
-
- Boeing C-17A Globemaster III — 8
- Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 — 4
- Pilatus PC-24 — 1–2
FlightGlobal lists one PC-24; two were signed for in 2020 according to Airforce Technology. Wikipedia says one C-17 is used by the Qatar Amiri Flight
- מסוקים
-
- Boeing AH-64E Apache — 24
- NH90 TTH/NFH — 27–28
- AgustaWestland AW139 — 19
- Gazelle SA342 — 13
- AW109 — 2
FlightGlobal counts. 28 NH90s were contracted in 2018 (16 TTH, 12 NFH)
- נעלי ספורט
-
- Pilatus PC-21 — 24
- BAE Hawk Mk 167 — 9 (in the UK)
- Leonardo M-346 — 6 (in Italy)
- PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak — 8
Hawks fly with the joint squadron at RAF Leeming; the M-346s are tied to Italy’s International Flight Training School
- רחפנים
- MQ-9B being acquiredA nearly $2 billion MQ-9B agreement was announced during President Trump’s May 2025 visit. Wikipedia also lists six Bayraktar TB2, which FlightGlobal does not
תַשׁתִית
- Air bases in Qatar
-
- Al Udeid Air Base
- Doha International Air Base
- Dukhan (Tamim) Air Base
Wikipedia lists these three. Dukhan was announced in August 2018 and named after Emir Tamim; the UK government confirms RAF Typhoons flew from Dukhan in 2022. Unit-by-base assignments are not repeated here
- בחו"ל
-
- RAF Coningsby (12 Squadron, joint Typhoon)
- RAF Leeming (joint Hawk squadron)
- Mountain Home AFB, Idaho (F-15QA facility announced 2025)
UK and US government announcements
- Foreign presence
- Al Udeid hosts about 10,000 US troopsAl Jazeera’s 2025 figure; the US has used the base since late September 2001
- Air college
- Al Zaeem Mohamed Bin Abdullah Al Attiyah Air CollegeWikipedia places it at Al Udeid
How the Qatar Emiri Air Force is organised
One air force of the Qatar Armed Forces, headquartered at Al Udeid, with about 2,000 people according to Wikipedia and three home bases. Its front line is three fighter types bought from three countries — 36 Rafales, 46 to 48 F-15QAs and 24 Typhoons — with Wikipedia placing the F-15QAs at Al Udeid and the Rafales at Tamim, where the first Typhoons arrived in 2022. Much of its training is done abroad, in joint squadrons with the RAF in Britain, in Italy and, from 2025, in Idaho.
Qatar Emiri Air Force
The air arm of the Qatar Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence, headquartered at Al Udeid according to Wikipedia, which also places the Al Zaeem Mohamed Bin Abdullah Al Attiyah Air College there. Wikipedia names Maj Gen (Pilot) Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Dosari as commander; this was not confirmed on an official Qatari page and his start date was not found. The defence minister in October 2025 was Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
F-15QA wing
Wikipedia places the F-15QA wing at Al Udeid; FlightGlobal lists 46 F-15QA Ababils and Wikipedia 48, delivered from 2021. According to CNN as summarised by Wikipedia, an F-15QA shot down the two Iranian Su-24s that Qatar’s defence ministry said the air force downed on 2 March 2026; the ministry did not name the type.
Rafale and Typhoon units
Wikipedia, citing Janes, describes Tamim Air Base near Dukhan as the home of the Rafale wing; 36 Rafale EQ/DQ were ordered in 2015 and 2017 and the first arrived in February 2019. The first Qatari Typhoons flew in to Tamim on 27 August 2022, according to The Aviationist; FlightGlobal lists all 24 as active. Qatar does not publish aircraft numbers for the base.
Joint squadrons in the United Kingdom
No. 12 Squadron at RAF Coningsby became a joint RAF–Qatari Typhoon squadron under a plan announced on 14 December 2017, and deployed Typhoons to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup and again on 22 January 2026. A joint QEAF–RAF Hawk squadron at RAF Leeming holds the entire Qatari fleet of nine Hawk Mk 167s, the first of which arrived in early September 2021.
Pilot training
Basic training is on 24 PC-21s, ordered in July 2012 with a complete training system and first received on 1 October 2014; FlightGlobal also lists eight MFI-395 Super Mushshaks. Six M-346s fly with Italy’s International Flight Training School, and on 10 October 2025 the United States announced a QEAF F-15 facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
Transport wings
Wikipedia places the C-17 and C-130J wings at Al Udeid: eight C-17A Globemaster IIIs, the first delivered on 11 August 2009, and four C-130J-30s, with one or two PC-24s for VIP transport and multi-engine training. One C-17 is flown for the air force by the Qatar Amiri Flight, which is not an air force unit and remains based at the old Doha International Airport.
Helicopter units
FlightGlobal counts 24 AH-64E Apaches, the first received in March 2019, 27 NH90 TTH and NFH from a contract for 28, 19 AW139s, 13 Gazelles and two AW109s. Wikipedia lists helicopter wings at Doha International Air Base, but no Qatari government source publishes squadron-to-base assignments, so no base is given here.
What the Qatar Emiri Air Force flies today
כל סוג בטעינה, מקושר לדף ספר החיות שלו במידה וקיים כזה. ספירות הן מטוסים בספרים, לא מטוסים זמינים ביום נתון.
| סוּג | תַפְקִיד | בשירות | מֵאָז | יחידות | הערות | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing F-15QA Ababilבשירות | Multirole strike fighter | 46 | 2021 | — | 46 active per FlightGlobal; Wikipedia gives 48. Boeing said in 2020 that 36 were on order; Wikipedia’s F-15EX article says 48 planned, two kept in the US for testing. | |
| Dassault Rafale EQ/DQבשירות | לוחם רב-משימתי | 36 | 2019 | — | 30 single-seat EQ and six two-seat DQ (Wikipedia); 36 in FlightGlobal, which also notes an option for 36 more. | |
| יורופייטר טייפוןבשירות | לוחם רב-משימתי | 24 | 2022 | — | 24 ordered and 24 active per FlightGlobal. Wikipedia says 12 are being sold to Türkiye; the UK government’s October 2025 Türkiye announcement does not mention this. | |
| לוקהיד מרטין C-130J-30 סופר הרקולסבשירות | תובלה טקטית | 4 | — | Four (FlightGlobal, Wikipedia). | ||
| בואינג C-17A גלובמאסטר IIIבשירות | תחבורה אסטרטגית | 8 | 2009 | — | Eight: four delivered 2009–2012 and four more agreed in June 2015. | |
| פילאטוס PC-24בשירות | VIP transport and multi-engine training | 1 | 2021 | — | FlightGlobal lists one; two were signed for in November 2020. | |
| Boeing AH-64E Apacheבשירות | מסוק תקיפה | 24 | 2019 | — | 24 (FlightGlobal, Wikipedia); FlightGlobal also notes 24 more as an option. | |
| NHIndustries NH90 TTH and NFHבשירות | Transport and naval helicopter | 27 | 2022 | — | 27 active and one on order per FlightGlobal; 28 contracted (16 TTH, 12 NFH). | |
| AgustaWestland AW139בשירות | Utility, SAR and transport helicopter | 19 | — | 19 in FlightGlobal’s directory. Wikipedia lists larger orders across Qatar’s armed forces and police. | ||
| AgustaWestland AW109בשירות | מסוק קל לשימוש | 2 | — | Two (FlightGlobal). | ||
| Aérospatiale SA342 Gazelleבשירות | Armed scout helicopter | 13 | 1983 | — | 13 (FlightGlobal); 12 armed Gazelles arrived from 1983. | |
| פילאטוס PC-21בשירות | מאמן בסיסי ומתקדם | 24 | 2014 | — | 24 ordered in July 2012. | |
| BAE Systems Hawk Mk 167בשירות | מאמן סילון מתקדם | 9 | 2021 | — | Nine, flown by the joint RAF–QEAF squadron at RAF Leeming. | |
| Leonardo M-346בשירות | Lead-in fighter trainer | 6 | 2021 | — | Six; not listed by FlightGlobal. | |
| PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshakבשירות | מאמן ראשי | 8 | — | Eight (FlightGlobal). | ||
| באיקר באירקטאר TB2בשירות | Armed drone | 6 | 2019 | — | Six according to Wikipedia; not listed by FlightGlobal, and which Qatari service operates them is unclear. |
בהזמנה
| סוּג | הוזמן | משלוח ראשון | הערות | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Atomics MQ-9Bבהזמנה | — | A nearly $2 billion agreement announced by the White House during President Trump’s visit in May 2025. Number and operator not published in the fact sheet. Not the MQ-9A Reaper. | ||
| Dassault Rafale (option)בהזמנה | 36 | An option for 36 more was added in December 2017; FlightGlobal marks it as an option, not a firm order. | ||
| Boeing F-15QA (option)בהזמנה | 24 | FlightGlobal lists 24 as an option or letter of intent. Up to 72 were approved by the US in 2016. |
Every type the Qatar Emiri Air Force has retired
7 types, from the Westland Whirlwind (helicopter) to the Hawker Hunter. נתוני השיא הם מספר שלדי המטוסים שנלקחו תחת אחריות לאורך כל חיי השירות, לא מספר כוחות הצי בכל תאריך נתון.
| סוּג | תַפְקִיד | שִׂיא | מוגש | הוחלף על ידי | הערות | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| האנטר הוקר | לוֹחֶם | 3 | 1971–1981 | Mirage F1 | Three ex-RAF aircraft. | |
| Dassault Mirage 2000-5EDA/DDA | לוחם רב-משימתי | 12 | 1997– | רפאל | Nine 2000-5EDA and three 2000-5DDA. Wikipedia lists them as retired; FlightGlobal still lists all 12. | |
| דאסו/דורניר אלפא ג'ט E | מאמן והתקפה קלה | 6 | 1980– | PC-21 | Six ordered in 1979. Wikipedia lists them as retired; FlightGlobal still lists six. | |
| Dassault Mirage F1EDA/DDA | לוֹחֶם | 14 | 1980– | מיראז' 2000-5 | 12 single-seat F1EDA and two two-seat F1DDA. | |
| Westland Commando Mk 3 | מסוק תובלה | 12 | 1975– | NH90 | 12 delivered 1975–1984 (GlobalSecurity). | |
| Westland Whirlwind (helicopter) | מסוק שירות | 2 | 1967– | — | Two, the first aircraft of the Public Security Forces Air Wing. | |
| Other former types: Piper PA-34 Seneca, Boeing 707, Boeing 727, Britten-Norman Islander, Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma | Transport and utility | — | — | — | מספרים לא אושרו. |
Where the Qatar Emiri Air Force flies from
Black pins are active bases. The air force flew its Mirage F1s and Alpha Jets from Doha International Airport, which GlobalSecurity calls its primary operating location until Al Udeid, built by Qatar in 1996, took over; Tamim, near Dukhan, followed in 2018 for the new fighters. Al Udeid is shared with the largest US military presence in the Middle East, and RAF Coningsby, RAF Leeming and Mountain Home are listed for the Qatari squadrons and facility there. Qatar publishes no squadron assignments by base. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
קטאר
3 of the 5 bases above sit outside Qatar, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas bases.
| בָּסִיס | ICAO | סטָטוּס | מַסלוּל הַמרָאָה | יחידות ומטוסים |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אל עודידקטאר | OTBH | פָּעִיל | 16L/34R3,750 מטר16R/34L3,750 מטר |
|
| Doha InternationalDoha (Ad Dawhah municipality) | OTBD | פָּעִיל | 15/334,572 m |
|
| TamimDukhan, western Qatar (about 80 km west of Doha) | פָּעִיל | — |
|
אף בסיס אווירי לא תואם את החיפוש הזה.
Who is stationed where in the Qatar Emiri Air Force
יחידות מעופפות לפי בסיס, היחידות הנוכחיות תחילה. Qatar does not publish its squadron numbers or which squadron flies from which base, so units are given as the wings Wikipedia places at each base, with the joint squadrons in Britain named by the RAF. The American, Canadian and British units that have flown from Qatari bases are listed and marked as not Qatari. Where a unit’s base rests on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- Qatar Emiri Air Force flying units at DohaAir force flying wings · active
- —
- Qatar Amiri FlightState VIP flight · active
- Airbus A319/A320/A330/A340, Boeing 747-8, Boeing C-17A (operated on behalf of the air force)
- Qatar Emiri Air Force combat fleet (Hunter, Mirage F1, Alpha Jet era)1971–
- Hawker Hunter (1971–1981), Dassault Mirage F1EDA/DDA (from 1980), Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet (from 1980)
- Canadian Air Task Group Middle East (CF-18 Hornets, Operation Friction)1990–1991
- CF-18 Hornet
- 401st Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron1990–1991
- F-16C/D פייטינג פלקון
- Qatar Emiri Air Force headquarters and flying unitsAir force headquarters · active
- —
- 379th Air Expeditionary Wing (US Air Force)Air expeditionary wing · foreign
- Rotational US tankers, airborne early warning, reconnaissance and airlift aircraft
- No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group (Royal Air Force)Expeditionary air group headquarters · foreign
- —
- Qatar Emiri Air Force fighter unitsכנף קרב · פעילה
- Dassault Rafale EQ/DQ, יורופייטר טייפון
- No. 12 Squadron (joint RAF–Qatar), World Cup detachment2022–2022
- יורופייטר טייפון
אף יחידה לא תואמת את החיפוש.
Qatar Emiri Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
After Britain announces its Gulf withdrawal in March, Qatar sets up armed forces; the Public Security Forces Air Wing starts with two Whirlwind helicopters.
Three ex-RAF Hawker Hunters give the air wing its first combat aircraft.
The air wing is renamed the Qatar Emiri Air Force.
Six Alpha Jets ordered; 14 Mirage F1s follow in 1980, delivered by 1984.
Twelve armed Gazelles arrive; the Qatar Police Air Wing is absorbed.
Qatar joins the coalition against Iraq; GlobalSecurity dates Qatari air strikes from 22 January, and Qatari tanks fight at Khafji.
Twelve Mirage 2000-5s ordered (nine EDA, three DDA); deliveries from late 1997.
Al Udeid Air Base is established; US forces begin using it in late September 2001.
11 August: the first C-17 is delivered.
March: six Mirage 2000-5s and two C-17s deploy to Crete for the Libyan no-fly zone; Qatar is the first Arab state to send aircraft.
July: 24 PC-21s ordered with a complete pilot-training system; 24 AH-64Es requested.
March: Qatari aircraft join the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen. 4 May: 24 Rafales ordered.
5 June: the Saudi-led bloc cuts ties and the Yemen coalition expels Qatar. 10 December: 24 Typhoons ordered. December: 12 more Rafales.
February: first Rafale delivered. March: first AH-64E received.
25 August: F-15QA rollout at St. Louis. September: the joint Hawk squadron at RAF Leeming is due to become operational.
March–April: first NH90s. November–December: Qatari and RAF jets guard the FIFA World Cup, RAF Typhoons flying from Dukhan.
23 June: Iranian missiles fired at Al Udeid; Qatar says one hit and no one was hurt. 10 October: QEAF F-15 facility at Mountain Home AFB announced.
22 January: RAF 12 Squadron Typhoons deploy to Qatar. 2 March: Qatar says its air force shot down two Iranian Su-24s.
Every war the Qatar Emiri Air Force has fought
גיחות והפסדים היכן שהרקורד נותן להם, וריק אמיתי היכן שלא.
- מלחמת המפרץ 1991 Flew strikes against Iraqi forces as part of the US-led coalition; Qatari ground forces fought at Khafji
- Libyan no-fly zone 2011 Enforced the UN no-fly zone alongside NATO; Qatar was the first Arab country to send aircraft
- Campaign against the Islamic State in Syria 2014 Listed among the Arab states taking part in the first coalition strikes in Syria; its exact role is not confirmed here
- Saudi-led intervention in Yemen 2015–2017 Contributed aircraft, and later troops, to the Saudi-led coalition until it was expelled in June 2017
- FIFA World Cup air security 2022 Guarded the tournament with Qatari fast-jet squadrons and RAF 12 Squadron Typhoons
Qatar Emiri Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Qatar Emiri Air Force and the aircraft it flies. רשימה זו מתרעננת מעצמה - סיפורי Afterburner חדשים מופיעים כאן באופן אוטומטי.
Everything people ask about the Qatar Emiri Air Force
What is the Qatar Emiri Air Force called in Arabic?
Which fighter jets does Qatar fly?
Why does Qatar operate three different fighter types?
When was the Qatar Emiri Air Force founded?
Has the Qatar Emiri Air Force ever shot down an aircraft?
What did Qatar do in Libya in 2011?
Is Al Udeid a Qatari or an American base?
Was Al Udeid hit by Iran?
Where do Qatari pilots train?
What happened to Qatar’s Mirage jets?
Read the aircraft the Qatar Emiri Air Force flew
כל סוג עם עמוד בספר החיות, תחילה בשירות, ואז לפי השנה בה עזב את הצי.
כל עובדה, נבדקה
- FlightGlobal World Air Forces directory (download ac=113841)Qatar fleet table: Typhoon 24, F-15QA 46 (+24 options), Rafale DQ/EQ 36 (+36 options), Mirage 2000-5EDA 9 and DDA 3, Alpha Jet 6, C-17 8, C-130J 4, AH-64E 24, AW139 19, AW109 2, NH90 27 (+1), SA342 13, Hawk 167 9, MFI-395 8, PC-21 24, PC-24 1. Data drawn on 1 October; Wikipedia cites this file as World Air Forces 2026, the file itself reads as the 2025 edition.
- GlobalSecurity.org: Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF)Air wing of the Public Security forces became the air force in 1974; ex-RAF Hunters; six Alpha Jets and 14 Mirage F1s delivered 1980–1984; 12 Commando Mk 3 delivered 1975–1984; Qatari strikes from 22 January 1991; personnel 800 (1992) and 2,100 (2010); Al Udeid built under French-led contracts.
- Al Jazeera: Qatar downs two Iranian fighter jets as conflict widens (2 March 2026)Qatari Defence Ministry: air force downed two Su-24s; seven ballistic missiles and five drones intercepted. Iran’s UN envoy called Iran’s response "lawful, necessary and proportionate".
- The Aviationist: Qatar Shoots Down Two Iranian Su-24 Fencer Tactical Bombers (2 March 2026)Based on the Qatari MoD announcement; says it is unclear which Qatari assets made the interceptions.
- 19FortyFive: Qatar’s Air Force Is Now Fighting Iran (4 March 2026)Quotes the Qatari Foreign Ministry on X: "Qatar Emiri Air Force successfully shot down two (SU24) aircraft coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran." Does not name the Qatari aircraft type.
- The War Zone: Iran’s Chokehold On Hormuz Remains On The Eve Of Peace Talks In Pakistan (10 April 2026)Al Jazeera imagery of the wreckage of an Iranian Su-24MK shot down by the QEAF; US–Iran ceasefire of 8 April 2026.
- Al Jazeera: QatarEnergy halts production after Iran attacks (2 March 2026)Qatari Defence Ministry: one Iranian drone hit a power-plant water tank at Mesaieed, another an energy facility at Ras Laffan; no casualties.
- Al Jazeera video: Iranian missile hits base housing US troops in Qatar (4 March 2026)Base not named; no casualties reported at the time.
- Al Jazeera: Iran’s attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar – all you need to know (23 June 2025)Majed al-Ansari’s condemnation; base established 1996, about 10,000 troops.
- Al Jazeera: Iran attacks US air base in Qatar – what we know so far (23 June 2025, updated)Qatari officials: seven missiles reported launched at 19:30; Interior Ministry later: 19 missiles fired, one hit the base; base evacuated beforehand; no deaths or injuries; IRGC "Operation Annunciation of Victory".
- The White House: Fact Sheet, US–Qatar economic commitment (May 2025)MQ-9B agreement of nearly $2 billion; FS-LIDS counter-drone agreement of $1 billion; statement of intent on over $38 billion of potential investments including burden-sharing at Al Udeid.
- Fox News: Pentagon agrees to host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots at Idaho air base (10 October 2025)Pete Hegseth: letter of acceptance for a QEAF facility at Mountain Home AFB; Qatar’s defence minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
- UPI: Qatar buys Mirage jets from France (1 August 1994)Qatar third Mirage 2000-5 customer and first for the multirole version; Matra missile contract of 1.5 billion francs; number not disclosed by Dassault.
- Defense One: US Allows Qatar to Buy F-15s (11 October 2016)US approval of the Qatari F-15 sale in late September 2016 after a long hold.
- Boeing: F-15 Qatar Advanced Jet Completes Successful First Flight (13 April 2020)First flight 13 April 2020 at St. Louis; 36 ordered under a $6.2 billion US Department of Defense contract awarded in 2017; deliveries from 2021.
- Boeing: Boeing Unveils F-15 Qatar Advanced Jets (25 August 2021)Rollout at St. Louis; first jets to ferry to Qatar later in 2021; Boeing training centre at Al Udeid through 2024.
- GOV.UK: Defence Secretary in Doha as multi-billion pound jet contract with Qatar is signed (10 December 2017)24 Typhoons, about 6 billion pounds; intention to proceed with Hawk; Gavin Williamson.
- GOV.UK: Defence Minister reveals new RAF Squadron at Qatar event (14 December 2017)No. 12 Squadron to become a joint UK–Qatar Typhoon squadron at RAF Coningsby.
- Royal Air Force: RAF and Qatar Emiri Air Force expand defence partnership (April 2021)Agreement of 1 April 2021: joint Hawk squadron at RAF Leeming from September 2021 with nine Hawk T2 Mk167; Voyager tanker training from July 2021.
- GOV.UK: UK completes deployment supporting Qatar World Cup security (19 December 2022)12 Squadron flew eight Typhoons from Dukhan Air Base alongside QEAF fast-jet squadrons; 114 operational hours.
- GOV.UK: UK Joint Squadron deploys Typhoon jets to Qatar (22 January 2026)Defensive deployment under the UK–Qatar Defence Assurance Agreement; John Healey.
- GOV.UK: Türkiye buys 20 Typhoon jets (27 October 2025)20 new Typhoons for Türkiye; makes no mention of second-hand Qatari aircraft.
- Leonardo: QatarSix M-346 for the QEAF with training at the International Flight Training School; first two NH90 NFH delivered 7 April 2022.
- Defense News: Leonardo confirms Qatar as latest M-346 jet trainer client (27 January 2022)Six M-346; part of an Italy–Qatar jet-training deal launched in November 2020.
- Airforce Technology: Pilatus reveals PC-24 light jet deal with Qatar Emiri Air Force (23 April 2021)Two PC-24s signed November 2020 for VIP transport and multi-engine training; PC-21 the backbone of pilot training for six years.
- NATO: Operation Unified Protector31 March–31 October 2011; more than 26,000 sorties; partners included Sweden, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan and Morocco.
- Al Jazeera: NATO to police Libya no-fly zone (25 March 2011)Hillary Clinton praised the UAE as the second Arab country after Qatar to send planes.
- Al Jazeera: Saudi and Arab allies bomb Houthi positions in Yemen (26 March 2015)Coalition of 10 countries; aircraft numbers for other states from Al Arabiya citing Saudi sources; no Qatari figure.
- Al Jazeera: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain cut ties to Qatar (5 June 2017)Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced Qatar no longer welcome; Qatar called the measures unjustified.
- Department of National Defence (Canada): Operation FRICTIONOfficial. Last of 16 CF-18s at Doha 12 October 1990; Whiskey-1 CAP; USS Midway cover; 409, 416, 421, 439 Sqns; 24 aircraft and about 550 people; 30 January patrol boat; 56 bombing missions; last aircraft left Doha 9 March 1991; CFB Lahr security companies.
- The Aviationist: Qatari F-15QAs confirmed behind shootdown of Iranian Su-24s (5 March 2026)Citing CNN and Gen. Dan Caine: an F-15QA intercepted two Su-24s two minutes from Al Udeid and Ras Laffan.
- The Aviationist: First batch of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft delivered to Qatar (27 August 2022)Typhoons flew Warton–Athens–Tamim Airbase near Dukhan, about 80 km west of Doha, arriving 27 August 2022; Rafale, F-15QA and NH90 on display.
- The Aviationist: Here are the first four F-15QA Eagle jets for the Qatar Emiri Air Force (29 October 2021)First four F-15QAs left St. Louis on 27 October 2021 via Bangor to RAF Mildenhall; arrival base in Qatar not stated (consulted, not used for basing).
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
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