Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF)

Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF)

Qatari Emiri Land Force (QELF), Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) Active 16,500 personnel (Army 12,000 Navy 2,500 Air 2,000) Gendarmerie & Paramilitary up to 5,000. Conscript liability 12 months, males 18–35 years. Voluntary. Qatar has undertaken one of the world's most rapid aerial modernization programs, acquiring three distinct types of advanced multi-role fighters (F-15QA, Rafale, and Typhoon) simultaneously. To manage this expansion, the Kingdom relies on extensive cooperation with partners, including a joint UK-Qatari Typhoon squadron.

Air Force Personnel: ε2,000. Status: Operational. Strategy: Rapid recapitalization focused on high-end regional power projection and multi-layered air defense. Support: Maintenance and industrial development managed via Barzan Holdings.

• AIRCRAFT 107 combat capable. Total 170 Aircrafts.

Multirole fighter & Interceptor 1 active squadron with 11 Ftr ac:

• 9 Dassault Mirage 2000-5EDA.
  • (Note: 9 Mirage 2000ED and 3 Mirage 2000D are reported as being in store).

Fighter Ground Attack (FGA) 3 active squadrons with 93 FGA ac:

• 36 Dassault Rafale DQ/EQ (36* additional on order).
• 37 Boeing F-15QA Ababil (8 + 27* additional on order).
  • (Note: The F-15QA fleet was officially completed with 48 airframes in April 2025).


• 20 Eurofighter Typhoon (4 additional on order).

Transport 1 squadron with 12 Tpt ac:

• 8 Boeing C-17A Globemaster III (Strategic heavy-lift transport);
• 4 Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules.

Training (Fixed-wing) squadron with 53 Trg ac:

• 24 Pilatus PC-21.
• 9 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 167.
• 8 PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak.
• 6 Leonardo M-346 Master.
• 6 Dassault Alpha Jet.
  • (Note: Alpha Jets are categorized as "in store" by some assessments).
• 3 Dassault Mirage 2000-5DDA (Training configuration).
• 1 Pilatus PC-24 (1 additional on order).

• HELICOPTER 38 combat capable. Total 103 Helicopters.

Anti-Armour Attack 1 sqn with 24 Atk hel:

• 24 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian (24* additional on order).

Anti-Submarine Warfare 1 sqn with 6 ASW hel:

• 6 Sikorsky UH-60R Sea Hawk (ordered)

Anti-Submarine & Anti-Armour Attack 1 sqn with 8 ASuW / Atk hel:

• 8 Westland Commando MK 3 (Exocet ASUW );

Search and Rescue 1 sqn with 19 SAR hel:

• 19 Leonardo  AW139 (Includes 3 configured for medevac).

Multi-role & Utility Support 1 sqn with 18 Spt hel :

• 3 Westland Sea King/Commando MK 2A;
• 1 Westland Sea King/Commando MK 2C;
• 6 Aérospatiale SA-330J Puma;
• 6 Aérospatiale SA-332F Super-Puma\SA-532 Cougar;
• 2 Leonardo  AW109.

Anti-Armour Attack & Rotary Flying Training 1 sqn with 14 Atk Trg hel:

• 1 Aérospatiale SA-342L Gazelle* (with HOT Atk);
• 1 Aérospatiale SA-342G Gazelle;
• 2 Aérospatiale SA-341 Gazelle;

Tactical Transport & ASW  1 sqn with 14 ASW /Tpt hel:

• 9 NHIndustries NH90 (NFH/TTH) (19 additional on order).
  • (Note: 3 NH90 NFH variants are specifically configured for Anti-Submarine Warfare).

•  Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Combat & ISR (Medium):

• 6 Baykar Bayraktar TB2.
  

Other equipment:

• TTL BTT-3 Banashee target drone

•  Air-Launched Weapons (MISSILES) 

• Long-range SAM & Missile Defence:
• 34 Raytheon M903 Patriot PAC-3 MSE launchers.
• 1 AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar.
• Medium-range & Point-defence SAM:
• NASAMS III (Medium-range).
• FIM-92 Stinger; FN-6 (CH-SA-10); Mistral (Point-defence).