The Qatar Emiri Air Force presented a glimpse of its growing ambitions during celebrations marking the Gulf country’s national day. Alexander Golz reports from Doha.
Qatari air power
The 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 leas…
