T
60 // FEBRUARY 2018 #359 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comQatari air power
he Gulf state’s air arm – the Qatar
Emiri Air Force (QEAF) – currently
operates a force of 18 combat
jets: 12 Mirage 2000-5s and six Alpha Jets.
Compared with the other ‘big-hitters’ in the
region, their relevance is mainly symbolic.
However, this will soon change after orders
were placed in 2017 for modern F-15QA,
Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale fighters.
Visitors to the National Day celebrations held
in the capital Doha on December 18 were
given a preview of the QEAF’s aspirations
during an extensive military parade.
Although Qatar’s National Day dates back
to unification in 1878, December 18 only
became an official Qatari holiday after a June
21, 2007 decree from the then crown prince,
and now ruling emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al
Thani. Following the resignation of his father,
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, as head of state on
June 25, 2013, the current emir is now also the
commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Qatar.An eventful year
From a political viewpoint,
the 2017 military
parade was
particularly significant, not least because the
2016 event was cancelled at short notice due
to the war in Syria and as a mark of solidarity
with the people of Aleppo. Added to that, the
peninsula-located Gulf state has experiencedAbove: The PC-21 aerobatic team comprises some highly experienced pilots who gave a very tight
performance. This is QA368 (c/n 228, ex HB-HVS), one of 24 from an order announced in July 2012. The
QEAF’s new air academy received its first two aircraft in early October 2014 and all 24 had been delivered
by the end of April 2016. Right: Five transport aircraft flew over the spectators on December 18. These
included two C-130s and three C-17s. This is C-130J-30 serial 211 (c/n 5662), one of four assigned to 12
Transport Squadron at Al Udeid. Below: A dramatic display of flares from 12 Transport Squadron C-17A
A7-MAE (c/n 50253, QA4) was among the highlights of the National Day parade over Doha. All photos
Alexander Golz