In March 1967, in response to the British announcement that it would withdraw its armed forces from the
Persian Gulf, Qatar set up armed forces, creating the Qatar Public Security Forces Air Wing, equipped with two
Westland Whirlwind helicopters. In 1971, it acquired a combat capability when it purchased three ex-RAF
Hawker Hunter jet fighters, which remained in use until 1981. It was renamed the Qatar Emiri Air Force in 1974. The air force began a major expansion in 1979, when it ordered six
Alpha Jet trainer/light attack aircraft. This was followed by orders for 14
Mirage F1 supersonic jet fighters in 1980, which were delivered between 1980 and 1984. Twelve
Gazelle helicopters, armed with
HOT anti-tank missiles were received from 1983. Also in 1983, the air force took over the Qatar Police Air Wing. In 1991, the Qatari Air Force took part in the
Gulf War on the side of the allies. In 2005, the Air Force participated in Exercise Eagle Resolve, along with Qatari medical services and emergency medical teams to build interoperability with their US counterparts. The US
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit took part in this exercise to validate the nation's crisis management plan prior to hosting the
2006 Asian Games. Other acquisitions have been for an order of 59
AW139 helicopters. The helicopters are used for utility tasks, troop transport, search and rescue, border patrol, special forces operations, and law enforcement. Three additional aircraft were ordered in March 2011 for
Medevac services. By 2010, the Qatar Emiri Air Force's personnel strength was at 2,100 and its equipment included the Mirage 2000-3EDA, the SA 342L Gazelle, and the
C-17A Globemaster III. Aircraft either flew out of al-Udeid field or
Doha International Airport and received training from British instructors. In January 2011, the Air Force evaluated the
Eurofighter Typhoon, the
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle and the
Dassault Rafale to replace, and significantly expand from, its then-current fighter inventory of twelve Dassault Mirage 2000-5s. In May 2015, the QEAF awarded the contract for 24 Dassault Rafale fighters worth €6.3 billion ($7 billion). In July 2012, the Qatar Emiri Air Force ordered a complete pilot training system from Pilatus centering upon the PC-21. The package included ground-based training devices, logistical support and maintenance in addition to 24 PC-21 aircraft. In June 2015, the QEAF ordered four additional C-17s, to supplement the existing four delivered in 2009 and 2012. In September 2016, the sale of up to 72 F-15QAs to Qatar was submitted to the US Congress for approval. The deal (for 36 planes plus an option for 36 more), valued at US$21.1 billion, was signed in November 2016. In September 2017, the QEAF ordered 24 Typhoon fighter jets from the UK. In December 2017, the QEAF ordered 12 additional Rafale fighter jets from France, with an option for 36 more. In August 2018, Qatar announced the construction of a new air base:
Dukhan / Tamim Airbase, named after Emir
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. In addition to the new air base,
Al Udeid Air Base and
Doha International Air Base were planned to expand in order to accommodate aircraft on order. The country includes three different types of
fighter jets from three different countries in its fleet, each requiring distinct maintenance and repair contracts, which some have criticized as an unusually complex arrangement for such a small nation. This was a "strategic
hedge", but also a significant logistical challenge. Recent disclosures, the latest of which was published in November 2024, uncovered corruption and bribery related to Qatar's arms contracts over the past decade. Several companies engaged in business partnerships with Qatar have been ordered to pay penalties in connection with bribery charges. On 10 October 2025,
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced an agreement with Qatar to establish a QEAF facility at
Mountain Home Air Force Base in
Idaho. It is planned to host a contingent of F-15QAs. On 2 March 2026, two Iranian low-flying
Su-24 tactical bombers (carrying external ordnance) approached Qatar targeting
Al-Udeid air base and
Ras Laffan Industrial City during the
2026 Iran War. After they ignored radio warnings, a QEAF
F-15QA shot them down marking the first aerial kills achieved by the Qatar Emiri Air Force. ==Airbases==