Qatar Air Force

Qatar Air Force
Qatar Air Force emblem
Founded	1974-present
Country	Qatar
Garrison/HQ	Doha International Airport
Engagements	Libyan Civil War 2015 military intervention in Yemen
Commanders
Current commander	Brigadier General Mubarak Mohammed Al Kumait Al Khayarin
Insignia
Roundel
Air Force Ensign
Aircraft flown
Attack	Aérospatiale Gazelle
Interceptor	Dassault Mirage 2000
Patrol	Aérospatiale Gazelle
Reconnaissance	Westland Sea King Commando Mk 2
Trainer	Dornier Alpha Jet Piper Cherokee Piper PA-34 Seneca
Transport	Boeing C-17 Globemaster III AgustaWestland AW139 Boeing 707 Boeing 727 Dassault Falcon 900 Sikorsky S-92

The Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) is the aerial branch of the Qatar Armed Forces. It was formed in 1974, three years after achieving independence from Great Britain in 1971.

Initially equipped with ex-RAF Hawker Hunters, the air force soon began expansion with six Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets in 1979. Fourteen F1 Mirages were delivered between 1980-84. After the Gulf War, Qatar's air force infrastructure was upgraded by France for $200 million, leading to the order of nine single Mirage 2000-5DEA multi-role combat aircraft and three two seat Mirage 2000-5DDA combat trainers in August 1994. Deliveries started in December 1997, and involved the buy back of the remaining 11 Mirage F1s by France that were later sold on to Spain.^[1] The current commander of the Qatar Emiri Air Force is Brigadier General Mubarak Mohammed Al Kumait Al Khayarin.

Units

• No. 1 Fighter Wing

• No. 7 Air Superiority Squadron – Dassault Mirage 2000

• 9 single-seat Mirage 2000-5EDA
• 3 2000-5DDA trainers

• No. 11 Close Support Squadron – Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet

• No. 2 Rotary Wing

• No. 6 Close Support Squadron – Aérospatiale Gazelle
• No. 8 Anti-Surface Vessel Squadron – Westland Commando Mk 3
• No. 9 Multi-Role Squadron – Westland Commando Mk 2

• Qatar Amiri Flight – Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

As of January 1993, all the air force's aircraft were based at Doha International Airport.^[2]

Air Force equipment

Qatari Mirage F1.

Qatari Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jet flying over Libya during the military intervention Operation Odyssey Dawn.

These aircraft numbers are sourced from Scramble.nl, an organisation of Dutch aviation enthusiasts.^[3]

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Aérospatiale Gazelle	France	Utility/attack helicopter	SA 342G (12)/L (2)	14	Operated by 6th Close Support Squadron
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy	Tactical transport/Medivac		5	21 in total on order
Airbus 340	France	VIP transport		2
Airbus 320	France	VIP transport		1
Airbus 310	France	VIP transport
Airbus 300	France	VIP transport		1
Boeing 747SP	United States	Transport		2
Hawker 800XP	United Kingdom	VIP transport		1
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III	United States	Strategic air transport	C-17A	4	One aircraft operated by Qatar Amiri Flight
Boeing 707	United States	VIP transport		2
Boeing 727	United States	VIP transport		1
Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet	France	Advanced trainer/light attack	Alpha Jet E	6	Operated by the 6th Close Support Squadron
AH-64 Apache	United States	Attack helicopter	AH-64D	0	24 on order
Dassault Falcon 900	France	VIP transport		2
Westland Lynx HC-28	United Kingdom	Helicopter		3 (status unknown)
Dassault Mirage 2000	France	Multirole fighter	Mirage 2000-5	12	Operated by the 7th Air Superiority Squadron
Dassault Rafale	France	Multirole fighter	Rafale F3+		24 to be ordered[4]
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules	United States	Tactical air transport	C-130J-30	4	Four, delivered Sep-Oct 2011
Piper Cherokee	United States	Training and Liaison	PA-28 Archer	10
Piper PA-34 Seneca	United States	Training and Liaison	PA-34 Seneca	4
Pilatus PC-21	Switzerland	Primary trainer			24 on order[5]
Sikorsky S-92	United States	VIP transport		2
Westland Commando	United Kingdom	Transport/utility and maritime patrol helicopter	Commando 2A, 2C and 3 variants	12-13	Commando 2A/2C are operated by 9th Multirole Squadron Commando 3 are operated by 8th Anti Surface Vessel Squadron

Historical Aircraft

• 15 Dassault Mirage F1 DDA (3)\Mirage F-1EDA (12)
• 2 English Electric Canberra B.2 Loane from Royal Air Force
• 4 Hawker Hunter FGA-78 (3) \T-79 (1)
• 1 Vickers VC-10
• 2 Westland Whirlwind Srs 3

Missiles

• AIM-9M Sidewinder  United States
• 144x MBDA Mica-RF  France
• 272x MBDA Magic-II R.55O  France
• Matra\MBDA R.530  France
• 128x MBDA AS-30L  France
• MBDA AM-39 Exocet  France

Other equipment:-

• MMR-3D Radar & TPS-77 USA Made
• TTL BTT-3 Banashee target drone  United Kingdom

Future aircraft

• In July 2008, Qatar’s Emiri Air Force signed a EUR 260 million (currently about $400 million) contract with AgustaWestland for 18 AW139 medium twin helicopters (formerly the AB139, until the Bell partnership dissolved in 2005).^[6] The helicopters will be 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 Medivac services.^[7]

• As of January 2011, the Air Force was evaluating the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Boeing F-15E and the Dassault Rafale to replace its current fighter inventory of Dassault Mirage 2000-5s. The total order could be up to 72 aircraft with a procurement decision to be made by the end of 2013.^[8] Dassault Aviation SA is poised to win a contract from Qatar for 72 Rafale jets, a French government official said, indicating the jet may have its first export contract before India signs a commitment for 126 units.^[9]
• In May 2015, the Air Force signed a deal for 24 Dassault Rafale fighters worth €6.3 billion ($7 billion). This deal makes Qatar the third export customer for the fighter after Egypt and India.^[10]

References

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