Qatar Armed Forces

The Qatar Armed Forces are the military forces of Qatar. Since 2015, Qatar has implemented mandatory military conscription with an average of 2000 graduates per year.[3] As of 2010, Qatar's defence expenditures added up to a total of $1.913 billion, about 1.5% of the national GDP, according to the SIPRI.[2] Qatar has recently signed defence pacts with the United States in 2002[4] and 2013[5] and with the United Kingdom, as well as with France earlier, in 1994.

Qatar Armed Forces
Founded1971
Service branches
HeadquartersDoha
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefSheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Minister of State for Defence AffairsDr. Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah
Chief of StaffAir Marshal Ghanem bin Shaheen Al-Ghanem
Manpower
Military age18 years of age
Available for
military service		389,487 males, age 15–49 (2010 est.),
210,00 females, age 15–49 (2010 est.)
Fit for
military service		321,974 males, age 15–49 (2010 est.),
140,176 females, age 15–49 (2010 est.)
Reaching military
age annually		96,429 males (2010 est.),
75,162 females (2010 est.)
Active personnel66,550[1]
  • Army 42,500
  • Navy 4,500
  • Air Force 5,000
  • Air Defense 2,650
  • Special Forces 1,900
  • ISF 9,000
Reserve personnel140,500 reserve personnel
Expenditures
BudgetUS$5.907 billion (2010)[2]
Percent of GDP2.5% (2016)
Related articles
HistoryGulf War
Libyan Civil War
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Syrian Civil War
Soldiers at Military Parade on Qatar National Day on the 18th of December 2018. Photo by Ijas Muhammed Photography

Qatar plays an active role in the collective defense efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council; the other five members are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman. Qatar also hosts the largest American military base in the Middle East and in 2017 inaugurated a military attache office in Washington.[6]

SIPRI states that Qatar's plans to transform and significantly enlarge its armed forces have accelerated in 2014, and in 2010-14 Qatar was the 46th largest arms importer in the world. Orders in 2013 for 562 tanks and 75 self-propelled guns from Germany were followed in 2014 by a number of other contracts, including 34 combat helicopters and 3 AEW aircraft from the USA, and 6 tanker aircraft from Spain.[7] As of 2016, Qatar maintains advanced anti air and anti ship capabilities with deliveries of Patriot PAC-3 MSE Batteries,[8] Exocet MM40 Block 3 and Marte ER anti-ship missiles.[9]

History

The armed forces were founded in 1971 after the country gained independence from the United Kingdom.

Qatar took part in the Gulf War of 1991, with a battalion at the Battle of Khafji. It also hosted the 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Doha.[10] The Canadian Air Task Group with 26 CF-18s was also based in Doha, Qatar flying combat missions during the Gulf War.

In July 2008, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency announced Qatar’s official request for logistics support, training, and associated equipment and services. The total value of the support arrangements could be as high as $400 million.

In March 2011, Qatar announced the participation of its Air Force in the enforcement of the Libyan no-fly zone.[11]

Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
See also: Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen

According to Aljazeera news, in December 2016 Qatar deployed 1,000 ground troops in Yemen to fight in behalf of the ousted president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, Qatar Armed Forces soldiers, backed by 200 armoured vehicles and 30 Apache helicopters, head to Yemen's Marib province.[12]

The Armed Forces of Qatar have suffered 4 killed and 2 wounded during the deployment in Yemen.[13]

Military branches

Qatari Emiri Land Force
Qatar Armed Forces in training.

The Qatar Emiri Land Force is the largest branch of the Qatar Armed Forces. Initially outfitted with British weaponry, Qatar shifted much of its procurement to France during the 1980s in response to French efforts to develop closer relations. The tank battalion was equipped with French-built AMX-30 main battle tanks, before later being replaced by German Leopard 2A7's.[14] Other armored vehicles include French AMX-10P APCs and the French VAB, adopted as the standard wheeled combat vehicle. The artillery unit has a few French 155mm self-propelled howitzers. The principal antitank weapons are French Milan and HOT wire-guided missiles.

Qatar had also illicitly acquired a few Stinger shoulder-fired SAMs, possibly from Afghan rebel groups, at a time when the United States was trying to maintain tight controls on Stingers in the Middle East. When Qatar refused to turn over the missiles, the United States Senate in 1988 imposed a ban on the sale of all weapons to Qatar. The ban was repealed in late 1990 when Qatar satisfactorily accounted for its disposition of the Stingers.

Qatar Armed Forces in National Day celebrations on the Doha Corniche.

Qatari tank battalion fought in the Gulf war in 1991, their AMX-30s took part in the battle of Khafji. Qatari contingent, composed mostly of Pakistani recruits, acquitted itself well during the war.[15]

Qatar signed a contract with the German defence company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) for the delivery of 24 artillery systems PzH 2000 and 62 LEOPARD 2 main battle tanks.[16]

The US DSCA announces that Qatar wants to join its neighbor the UAE, and field 2 medium-range THAAD batteries of its own.

Their request is worth up to $6.5 billion, and includes up to 12 THAAD Launchers, 150 THAAD missiles, 2 THAAD Fire Control and Communications units, 2 AN/TPY-2 THAAD Radars, and 1 Early Warning Radar (EWR). The USA would also sell them the required trucks, generators, electrical power units, trailers, communications equipment, fire unit test & maintenance equipment, system integration and checkout, repair and return, training, and other support.[17]

Major Army Units

[18]

  • Royal Guard Brigade
    • Infantry Battalion
    • Infantry Battalion
    • Infantry Battalion
  • Qatari Army
    • Special Forces Company
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion
    • Artillery Battalion
      • Artillery Battery
      • Artillery Battery
      • Artillery Battery
      • Artillery Battery
      • Anti-aircraft Battery
  • Armored Brigade
    • Mortar Company
    • Tank Battalion
    • Mechanized Infantry Battalion
    • Anti-tank Battalion

Tanks and Vehicles

bulletproofed by stark motors

Fire Support/Artillery
Name Origin Type Number Photo Notes
Mortars
Mortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1[32]  France Mortar 200
L16 81mm  United Kingdom Mortar 30
Artillery
AMX F3 155mm[33]  France Self-propelled howitzer 22
PzH 2000 155mm  Germany Self-propelled howitzer 24
G5 155mm  South Africa Towed howitzer 12 G5 155mm towed howitzer[34][35]
BM-21 Grad 122mm  Soviet Union Multiple rocket launcher Unknown
Astros II MLRS  Brazil Multiple rocket launcher 30 127mm SS-30 or 180mm SS-40
HIMARS  United States Multiple rocket launcher 7 In December 2012, Qatar notified the U.S. of a possible Foreign Military Sale of 7 M142 HIMARS systems, as well as 60 M57 MGM-140 ATACMS Block 1A T2K unitary rockets and 30 M31A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) unitary rockets. The deal would cost an estimated $406 million.[36]
SY-400  People's Republic of China Short-range ballistic missile Unknown

Could be (12-18)

 With BP-12A SRBM[37]

Air-Defence
Name Origin Type Number Photo Notes
Anti-aircraft missiles
Patriot PAC-3  United States Surface-to-air missile 11 In 2012 Qatar requested 11 Patriot PAC-3 launchers and 246 PATRIOT MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missiles.[40]
Rapier  United Kingdom Surface-to-air missile 18 18 launchers with 250 missiles and 6 Blindfire Radars
Roland  France Surface-to-air missile 9 In 1986 Qatar ordered 3 self-propelled Roland 2 systems on the AMX-30R chassis and 6 shelter-mounted systems with 200 missiles. Deliveries were completed in 1989.[14]
THAAD  United States Surface-to-air missile 12 In 2014 Qatar ordered 12 THAAD Launchers, 150 THAAD missiles, 2 THAAD Fire Control and Communications units, 2 AN/TPY-2 THAAD Radars, and 1 Early Warning Radar (EWR).[41]
NASAMS II[42]  United States Surface-to-air missile 40 40 launchers with 10000 missiles (including AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel high-resolution X-band 3D radars, MSP 500 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems and Fire Distribution Centres.)
Blowpipe  United Kingdom Surface-to-air missile 6 6 launchers with 50 missiles
Mistral  France Surface-to-air missile 24 24 launchers with 500 missiles
Stinger  United States Surface-to-air missile 12 12 launchers with 60 missiles

Small Arms

Qatari Emiri Navy
Main article: Qatari Emiri Navy

The Qatari Emiri Navy (QEN), also called the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces (QENF), is the naval branch of the armed forces of the State of Qatar.

Qatar Emiri Air Force
Main article: Qatar Air Force

The Qatar Emiri Air Force was formed in 1974, three years after achieving independence from Great Britain in 1971. Initially equipped with ex-RAF Hawker Hunters, the air force soon began expansion with six Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets in 1979. Fourteen Dassault Mirage F1 were delivered between 1980-84. After the Gulf War, Qatar's air force infrastructure was upgraded by France for $200 million, leading to the order of nine single seat Mirage 2000-5DEA multi-role combat aircraft and three two seat Mirage 2000-5DDA combat trainers in August 1994. Deliveries started in December 1997, and involved the buy back of the remaining 11 Mirage F1s by France that were later sold on to Spain.[46] The current commander of the Qatar Emiri Air Force is Brigadier General Mubarak Mohammed Al Kumait Al Khayarin.

British pilots in Oman remain on duty with the air force, and French specialists are employed in a maintenance capacity. Nevertheless, an increasing number of young Qataris have been trained as pilots and technicians.

Its units include:

As of January 1993, all the air force's aircraft were based at Doha International Airport.[47]

Air Force equipment
Qatari Mirage F1
Qatari Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jet flying over Libya during Military intervention
Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service Notes
Mirage 2000  France Multirole fighter Mirage 2000-5 12 Operated by the 7th Air Superiority Squadron, first delivery 1997
Dassault Rafael  France Multirole fighter Rafale 24 18 single-seat and 6 dual-seat versions ordered in 2015 (24)[48] and 12 more on order[49]
F-15E  United States Strike fighter

F-15QA

 0 In June 2017, US agreed to sell 36 Boeing F-15QA Strike Eagle aircraft[50]
Eurofighter Typhoon  European Union Multirole fighter 0 24 on order, first delivery 2022[51]
Boeing 737 AEW&C  United States Airborne early warning and control Boeing 737 AEW/C 0 3 on order[52]
Airbus A330 MRTT  Spain Aerial refuelling and transport A330 MRTT 0 2 on order[52]
Dassault Falcon 900  France VIP transport 2
Airbus 340  France VIP transport 2
Airbus 320  France Transport 1
Boeing 747SP  United States VIP transport 2
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III  United States Strategic air transport C-17A 8

One aircraft operated by Qatar Amiri Flight. All delivered.[53]

C-130J Super Hercules  United States Tactical air transport C-130J-30 4 All entered service in 2011
PAC Super Mushshak  Pakistan Trainer aircraft PAC Super Mushshak 8
Piper Cherokee  United States Training and liaison PA-28 Archer 10
Pilatus PC-21   Switzerland Basic and advanced trainer aircraft PC-21 24

[54]

Alpha Jet  France / Germany Advanced trainer/Light attack Alpha Jet E 6 Operated by the 6th Close Support Squadron
Boeing AH-64 Apache  United States Attack helicopter AH-64E 0 24 on order[55]
NHIndustries NH90  France Medium transport NH-90 0 16 on order[56]
NHIndustries NH90  Italy Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and Anti-surface unit warfare (ASuW) NFH-90 0 12 on order[57]
Airbus H125  France Utility/Rotary Training 1 15 more on order.
Aérospatiale Gazelle  France Utility/Attack helicopter SA 342G (12)/L (2) 14 Operated by 6th Close Support. To be replaced by Airbus H125.
AgustaWestland AW139  Italy 18 tactical transport, 3 medivac 21
Westland Commando  United Kingdom Transport/Utility and maritime patrol helicopter Commando 2A, 2C and 3 variants 11 Commando 2A/2C are operated by 9th Multirole Squadron. Commando 3 are operated by 8th Anti Surface Vessel Squadron. To be replaced by NFH-90 helicopters.
Historical Aircraft

Missiles

Other equipment

See also

References
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