WORLD AIR WAR HISTORY


 
  Qatar   Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) • القوات المسلحة القطرية
State of Qatar (Dawlat Qatar دولة قطر )

Qatar Emiri Air Force  •  Army AD Units  •  Coastal Defence SSM  •  Police Aviation  •  Deployment  •  Foreign Air Forces  •   • 
AF NEWS  •  AF HISTORY

Qatari Emiri Land Force (QELF), Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) Active 16,500 personnel (Army 12,000 Navy 2,500 Air 2,000) Gendarmerie & Paramilitary up to 5,000. Conscript liability 12 months, males 18–35 years. Voluntary. Qatar has undertaken one of the world's most rapid aerial modernization programs, acquiring three distinct types of advanced multi-role fighters (F-15QA, Rafale, and Typhoon) simultaneously. To manage this expansion, the Kingdom relies on extensive cooperation with partners, including a joint UK-Qatari Typhoon squadron.

QATAR EMIRI AIR FORCE (QEAF) • القوات الجوية الأميرية القطرية

Air Force Personnel: ε2,000. Status: Operational. Strategy: Rapid recapitalization focused on high-end regional power projection and multi-layered air defense. Support: Maintenance and industrial development managed via Barzan Holdings.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

AIRCRAFT 107 combat capable. Total 170 Aircrafts.

Multirole fighter & Interceptor 1 active squadron with 11 Ftr ac:

  • 9 Dassault Mirage 2000-5EDA.
    • (Note: 9 Mirage 2000ED and 3 Mirage 2000D are reported as being in store).

Fighter Ground Attack (FGA) 3 active squadrons with 93 FGA ac:

  • 36 Dassault Rafale DQ/EQ (36* additional on order).
  • 37 Boeing F-15QA Ababil (8 + 27* additional on order).
    • (Note: The F-15QA fleet was officially completed with 48 airframes in April 2025).

  • 20 Eurofighter Typhoon (4 additional on order).

Transport 1 squadron with 12 Tpt ac:

  • 8 Boeing C-17A Globemaster III (Strategic heavy-lift transport);
  • 4 Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules.

Training (Fixed-wing) squadron with 53 Trg ac:

  • 24 Pilatus PC-21.
  • 9 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 167.
  • 8 PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak.
  • 6 Leonardo M-346 Master.
  • 6 Dassault Alpha Jet.
    • (Note: Alpha Jets are categorized as "in store" by some assessments).
  • 3 Dassault Mirage 2000-5DDA (Training configuration).
  • 1 Pilatus PC-24 (1 additional on order).

HELICOPTER 38 combat capable. Total 103 Helicopters.

Anti-Armour Attack 1 sqn with 24 Atk hel:

  • 24 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian (24* additional on order).

Anti-Submarine Warfare 1 sqn with 6 ASW hel:

  • 6 Sikorsky UH-60R Sea Hawk (ordered)

Anti-Submarine & Anti-Armour Attack 1 sqn with 8 ASuW / Atk hel:

  • 8 Westland Commando MK 3 (Exocet ASUW );

Search and Rescue 1 sqn with 19 SAR hel:

  • 19 Leonardo  AW139 (Includes 3 configured for medevac).

Multi-role & Utility Support 1 sqn with 18 Spt hel :

  • 3 Westland Sea King/Commando MK 2A;
  • 1 Westland Sea King/Commando MK 2C;
  • 6 Aérospatiale SA-330J Puma;
  • 6 Aérospatiale SA-332F Super-Puma\SA-532 Cougar;
  • 2 Leonardo  AW109.

Anti-Armour Attack & Rotary Flying Training 1 sqn with 14 Atk Trg hel:

  • 1 Aérospatiale SA-342L Gazelle* (with HOT Atk);
  • 1 Aérospatiale SA-342G Gazelle;
  • 2 Aérospatiale SA-341 Gazelle;

Tactical Transport & ASW  1 sqn with 14 ASW /Tpt hel:

  • 9 NHIndustries NH90 (NFH/TTH) (19 additional on order).
    • (Note: 3 NH90 NFH variants are specifically configured for Anti-Submarine Warfare).

•  Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Combat & ISR (Medium):

  • 6 Baykar Bayraktar TB2.

Other equipment:

  • TTL BTT-3 Banashee target drone

•  Air-Launched Weapons (MISSILES) 

  • Long-range SAM & Missile Defence:
  • 34 Raytheon M903 Patriot PAC-3 MSE launchers.
  • 1 AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar.
  • Medium-range & Point-defence SAM:
  • NASAMS III (Medium-range).
  • FIM-92 Stinger; FN-6 (CH-SA-10); Mistral (Point-defence).
  Air Defence & Sensors (RADAR)
  • 6 TRS-2100 Tiger radars

•  Air-Launched Weapons (MISSILES) 

  • Air-to-Air (AAM):  Meteor;  Mica RF; AIM-9X Sidewinder II; AIM-120C- AMRAAM; ASRAAM; R-550 Magic 2.
    SRAAM 96 Matra\MBDA R-550 Magic-2 (for Mirage 2000-5); 90 Matra R-550 Magic-2 (For Mirage F-1); 90 Matra R.530;  AIM-9M Sidewinder
    BVRAAM 100 Matra Mica-EM, 44 MBDA Mica-RF (for Mirage 2000-5 )
  • Air-to-Surface (ASM):  Apache (LACM);  AGM-114R Hellfire;  AGR-20A APKWS;  HOT.
  • Anti-Ship (AShM):  AM39 Exocet.
    ASM 50 Apache Black Pearl (for Mirage-2000-5); 128 MBDA AS-30
    Anti-ship missile 20 MBDA AM-39 Exocet (for Commando-3 helicopters)
    Anti-tank missile 225 Euromissile HOT ATGM (for SA-342 Attack Helicopters)

Strategic Note (2026): Qatar's air force is now one of the most modern and diverse in the GCC. The service has transitioned toward a multi-supplier strategy, balancing American, British, and French platforms. However, the speed of acquisition continues to raise questions regarding the nation's capacity to crew and maintain such advanced fleets. Consequently, Qatar relies on joint training initiatives and international assistance to operationalize these new capabilities. In early 2024, Qatar further signaled its commitment to international norms by subscribing to the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC).

• FACILITIES
  Qatar Emiri Air Force Main Headquarters: Doha HQ
   
  Qatar Emiri Air Force Airfield and Air Base Organization:

Doha IAP (OTBD) Al Udaid Air Base
No.1st Fighter Wing
7th Air Superiority Squadron: Mirage 2000-5DDA, Mirage 2000-5EDA    
11th Close Air Support Squadron: Alpha Jet E    
No.2nd Rotary Wing
6th Close Support Squadron: SA-342, SA341L    
8th Anti Surface Vessel Squadron: WS Commando 3    
9th Multi-Role Squadron: Commando 2A, Commando 2C, SA-330/332/532
No.3rd Rotary Wing
20th Squadron: AW139

Qatar Amiri Flight: B747SP-27, B727-200, B707-300, A340-313, A340-211, A340-541, A330-302, A320-232, A330-203, A310-308, A319-115,A319-133, Global Express, Falcon 900
Transport: C-17A, C-130J-30, H-S. 800XP

Note: Qatar has 4 airports with paved runways (over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1), 2 airports with unpaved runways (914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1) and one heliport.

 
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Qatar AF
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   Qatar AF News:

Joint UK-Qatar Typhoon Squadron returns home to continue partnership

• Joint UK-Qatar Typhoon Squadron returns home to continue partnership  (27.04.2023)

Leonardo: Qatar’s NH90 programme marks over a year of operations highlighting major operational performance

• Leonardo: Qatar’s NH90 programme marks over a year of operations highlighting major operational performance  (15.03.2023)

12 Squadron to continue as joint UK-Qatari Typhoon unit

• 12 Squadron to continue as joint UK-Qatari Typhoon unit  (10.03.2023)


• Turkish, US, Qatari forces hold joint air drill in Doha  (28.04.2019)

• Qatar receives first Airbus H125 training helos  (25.01.2019)

• Qatari Typhoon and Hawk deal becomes effective  (18.09.2018)

• Qatar contract for 28 NH90s comes into effect
 (21.08.2018)

• Qatar in $23bn arms order including Apache and NH90 helicopters
 (1.04.2014)

• Qatar to Buy Two A330 MRTT Refuellers
 (30.03.2014)

• Qatar to Buy Two A330 MRTT Refuellers
 (30.03.2014)

• Qatar seeks FGM-148 Javelin missiles
 (2.04.2013)

• Pilatus PC-21 Scores Another Pilot Training Win in Qatar
 (27.07.2012)

• Qatar Buy Plans AH-64D APACHE Block III LONGBOW Attack Helicopters
 (14.07.2012)


 

 



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