The Qatar Emiri Air Force is one of the world’s most remarkable air forces. Over the last decade, it has ballooned to include almost a hundred new advanced 4.5th-generation fighter jets, making it one of the most potent in the region. The contrast with its neighbor Iran’s collection of outdated aircraft couldn’t be greater. Qatar now possesses advanced F-15 Strike Eagles, Rafales, and Typhoon Eurofighters.

Qatar: A wealthy Gulf State

Qatar is a small Gulf State on the Arabian Peninsula, occupying a peninsula bordering Saudi Arabia. While around 2.7 million people live in the country (80% in the capital of Doha), only around 315,000 are Qatari citizens. Most of Qatar’s population are migrant workers (including many from India and Bangladesh).

Qatar is one of the world’s wealthiest countries, and it is especially wealthy thanks to some of the world’s largest natural gas wells. According to BP, in 2021, Qatar produced 4.4% of the world’s natural gas and, importantly, 20% of the world’s LNG exports.

Qatar’s massive fighter jet build-up

In March 2024, FlightGlobal reported that by the end of 2024, Qatar will complete the process of receiving 96 advanced combat aircraft to its fleet over the last decade at it receives the final Eurofighter Typhoon fighters on order. This has dramatically expanded the capabilities of the Qatari Air Force.

The Qatari Air Force was first established in 1974, and for much of its history, it has been a modest air force. But this has changed dramatically over the last few years. Within a decade, Qatar has ordered 36 F-15QA (Qatar Advanced), 36 French Rafales, and 24 Eurofighters. These join Qatar’s fleet of 12 French-made Mirage 2000-5s (and a few light combat Alpha Jets).

As if this wasn’t enough, Forbes reports that Qatar is reportedly considering ordering another 24 Rafales – which, if it does, will bring the total number of Rafales to 60. The first 24 were ordered in 2015, and the second 12 were ordered in 2017.

Photo: Dassault

Accompanying the fighter jet spending spree has been the expansion of Qatar’s air bases. Qatar’s Air Force is building a new air base named after Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and has expanded its existing air bases at Al Udeid Air Base and Doha International Air Base.

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A small wealthy state in a complicated neighborhood

In 2023, the French Armed Forces Minister visited Qatar, and following the trip, reports emerged that Qatar may choose to purchase 24 Rafales from Dassault. Defense News reported at the time that the sale appeared “likely.” France’s Rafale order book has exploded in recent years, leading to the jet being something of a victim of its own success; Dassault is struggling to keep up with demand and fulfill the orders in a timely manner.

Photo: w_p_o l Shutterstock

The Defense News article suggested that Qatar might want the extra Rafales for two reasons: stronger deterrence capabilities and political purposes. The political purpose is that Qatar is seen as “buying” influence with the exporting nation (and vice versa). Qatar has had a rocky relationship with its following Gulf States (they embargoed Qatar in 2017), while relations with Iran are also complicated.

“They [the Qatari government] view fighter aircraft as an opportunity to purchase a strategic relationship, and given their recent history with Gulf neighbors, these are extremely important for Qatar… It isn’t [about] the Rafales.” – Dan Darling, director of military and defense markets at
Forecast International

Much of Qatar’s strategic and political thinking is influenced by its much larger neighbor, Saudi Arabia. Germany has blocked the sale of 48 Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia (irking the British, who make much of the jets), while Israeli appears to insist that the US not sell F-35s to the Kingdom (Israel also seems to oppose selling F-35s to the UAE). Frustrated, Saudi Arabia may also look to buy another 54 Rafales instead of the Eurofighters. Saudi Arabia is also interested in joining the sixth-generation Global Combat Air Program (Tempest) with the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan.

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The desire for F-35 fifth-generation fighters

While these jets are all 4.5th generation, the Gulf States are known to be interested in purchasing F-35s from the US. However, no firm contracts for sales have materialized so far – despite strong interest from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. There may also be strong reservations about selling F-35s to Qatar.

Defense News stated,

”
Several Arab states would indeed purchase the F-35 were it not for Israel’s strict opposition. For instance, Qatar reportedly made a formal request for the Lockheed Martin jet in 2020, which was closely followed by Israel declaring it would oppose any F-35 sale by the U.S. to the Gulf country. A concrete deal has yet to materialize.
”

Photo: ranchorunner | Shutterstock

For its part, the UAE is reportedly so frustrated by the US not selling F-35s that it is reportedly considering buying Chinese J-20 Mighty Dragons (even though China has an export ban on the jet).