Qatar Air Force

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.

Read more about Qatar Air Force:  Units

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