Qatar Air Force

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. 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.

Air Force equipment
These aircraft numbers are sourced from Scramble.nl, an organisation of Dutch aviation enthusiasts.

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 🇺🇸
 * 144x MBDA Mica-RF 🇫🇷
 * 272x MBDA Magic-II R.55O 🇫🇷
 * Matra\MBDA R.530 🇫🇷
 * 128x MBDA AS-30L 🇫🇷
 * MBDA AM-39 Exocet 🇫🇷

Other equipment:-

 * MMR-3D Radar & TPS-77 USA Made
 * TTL BTT-3 Banashee target drone

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). 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.
 * As of January 2011, the Air Force is 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.