Qatar to build first-ever Air Force training hub at US airbase in Idaho - Axios
Illustrative photo: Qatar granted unprecedented US support (Getty Images)
Qatar plans to build its own Air Force facility at the US Air Force's Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho. The site will train Qatari F-15 fighter pilots and host Qatari aircraft, reports Axios.
The US and Qatar announced plans to build the base on October 10. The move signals a deepening of ties between the two countries, following unprecedented security guarantees from the White House.
Axios sources said this will not be a full-fledged military base. The Qatari facility will operate on US Air Force territory and remain under American jurisdiction.
Discussions began during the administration of the 46th President of the US, Joseph Biden. During President Donald Trump's first term, in 2017, Qatar ordered 36 modern F-15 fighters valued at $12 billion. Qatar's ability to conduct training has been extremely limited due to the country’s small size and terrain.
Qatar will build the facility from scratch, a right no American ally has previously had. However, Qatar's media attaché in the US, Ali Al-Ansari, said the site will not be a Qatari Air Force base in the conventional sense.
"Qatar has made an initial 10-year commitment to construct and maintain a dedicated facility within an existing US air base, intended for advanced training and to enhance interoperability... It represents a continued expression of the strong defense partnership between Qatar and the US," he said.
Earlier in October, Trump signed a decree guaranteeing security for Qatar. He pledged diplomatic, economic, and military support after a recent Israeli airstrike on Doha.
The decree effectively equates Qatar's security with that of the United States, potentially shifting the balance of power in the Middle East. Qatar is strategically important for the US Air Force, hosting Al Udeid Air Base, a forward operational hub for US Central Command.
