Page 25 - 7.Sayı

23
2024 سدكميد ةخسن ريه سنفيد

Sub-Sector Best Prospects Military
Over the last decade, the most purchased items in the The QAF is a small and well-equipped force that is respon-
defense sector include anti-ballistic missile systems and sible for defense against external threats; following the
a new generation of fighter aircraft. Military electronics downturn in ties with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and
and cyber systems, helicopters for special forces teams, the UAE in the mid-2010s, the Qatari Government em-
light tactical armored vehicles with weapons systems, barked on a major arms acquisition and modernization
GBU-35 bunker-buster ammunition to be used against program to increase the QAF’s capabilities and regional
concrete-protected nuclear facilities, guided air-to-air and standing; the Air Force has benefited the most, growing
air-to-ground missiles, helicopters, fighter jets, and air de- from an inventory of 12 older combat aircraft and a few
fense systems are also common purchases. fighter trainers in 2017 to a current inventory of about
60 modern multirole fighter aircraft from France, the UK,
and the US; it is slated to grow to about 100 such aircraft
Opportunities Training and capacity building programs by the mid-2020s; other aircraft acquisitions have includ-
-Cyber Security and Electronic Warfare Systems ed US attack helicopters; the Land Force has re-equipped
-Integrated air and missile defense systems its armored brigade and separate mechanized and artil-
-Navy & Marine defense systems lery battalions with modern tanks, armored vehicles, and
-Local Manufacturing: To support Qatar’s Vision 2030, the self-propelled artillery, mostly with purchases from Ger-
many and Turkey; meanwhile, the Navy over the same pe-
government seeks successful partnerships that can help riod has received four corvettes and four offshore patrol
develop local manufacturing capabilities and transfer vessels from Italy and Turkey.
knowledge to entities such as Barzan Holdings.
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
Qatar hosts the regional headquarters for the US Central
The Qatari military’s inventory includes a broad mix of Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) and several thou-
older and modern weapons systems, mostly from the US sand US military forces at various military facilities, includ-
and Europe; in the 2010s, Qatar embarked on an exten- ing the large Al Udeid Air Base; it has Major Non-NATO
sive military expansion and modernization program with Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that
large air, ground, and naval equipment purchases; in re- provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the ar-
cent years, France and the US have been the top suppliers; eas of defense trade and security cooperation; Qatar also
other major suppliers have included Germany, Italy, and hosts Turkish military forces at two bases established in
the UK. 2014 and 2019.