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Roundel of Qatar air force
Air Forceยท ๐Ÿ‡ถ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Qatar

Qatar Emiri Air Force

The Qatar Emiri Air Force operates 283 military aircraft in 2026 โ€” 126 combat aircraft (fighter and attack jets), 86 helicopters, 12 transport aircraft, 6 drones, 53 trainers. It ranks #22 of 161 air forces worldwide, with 8 more aircraft on order.

Active aircraft
2832026
On order
+8
Combat
126
Helicopters
86
AIRS Index (Air Inventory Rating of Strength)
15.2/ 100
Global rank: #22 / 161
The score reflects a fleet of 126 combat aircraft, 86 helicopters and 12 transports out of 283 active airframes, weighted by combat effectiveness.
Combat quality 0.65 ยท enablers ร—1.00 ยท armament ร—1.20 ยท availability ร—0.96
How this score is calculated
Fleet Composition โ€” 2026
  • Combat 126
  • Helicopter 86
  • Training 53
  • Transport 12
  • UAV 6 +8
ActiveOn order
Fleet Evolution
2020 โ€” 184 184 2020 2021 โ€” 160 160 2021 2022 โ€” 167 167 2022 2023 โ€” 193 193 2023 2024 โ€” 228 228 2024 2025 โ€” 251 251 2025 2026 โ€” 283 283 2026
Origin of Aircraft
Most Used Aircraft
F-15EX Eagle II profile drawing F-15EX Eagle II Combat ยท 48 active Rafale profile drawing Rafale Combat ยท 36 active NH90 / Caiman profile drawing NH90 / Caiman Helicopter ยท 28 active Typhoon profile drawing Typhoon Combat ยท 24 active AH-64 Apache profile drawing AH-64 Apache Helicopter ยท 24 active Pilatus PC-21 profile drawing Pilatus PC-21 Training ยท 24 active

Full inventory in 2026

19 aircraft types

Qatar Emiri Air Force

Aircraft Origin Model year Active ฮ” YoY Ordered
Combat
F-15QA ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States 2024 48 +11 โ€”
Rafale DQ/EQ ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France 2001 36 โ€” โ€”
Eurofighter Typhoon ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Germany
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy 		2003 24 +4 โ€”
Mirage 2000-5EDA ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France 1983 9 โ€” โ€”
Alpha Jet ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Germany
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France 		1978 6 โ€” โ€”
Mirage 2000-5DDA ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France 1983 3 โ€” โ€”
Helicopter
NH90 (NFH/TTH) ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Germany
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Netherlands 		2004 28 +6 โ€”
AH-64E ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States 1984 24 โ€” โ€”
AW139 ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy 		2003 19 โ€” โ€”
SA342 ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France 1971 13 โ€” โ€”
AW109 ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy 		1976 2 โ€” โ€”
Transport
C-17 ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States 1993 8 โ€” โ€”
C-130J ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States 1956 4 โ€” โ€”
Training
PC-21 ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland 2008 24 โ€” โ€”
Hawk 167 ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom 1976 9 โ€” โ€”
MFI-395 ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ช Sweden 1972 8 โ€” โ€”
M-346 ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy 2015 6 โ€” โ€”
AW169 ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy 		2015 4 +4 โ€”
PC-24 ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland 2018 2 +1 โ€”
UAV
Bayraktar TB2 ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท Turkey 2014 6 +6 โ€”
MQ-9B SkyGuardian ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States 2020 โ€” โ€” +8
ActiveOn order

Overview

The Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) has undergone a shift from a small support wing to a technologically advanced and potent force. Its structure is organized into fighter, rotary-wing, and transport wings, operating from key bases including Al-Udeid, Dukhan/Tamim, and Doha International Air Base. Command is held by members of the royal family, reflecting a common practice in the region. The force's structure includes dedicated squadrons for air superiority, close support, and multi-role helicopter operations. A notable aspect of its organization is the establishment of a joint squadron with the UK's Royal Air Force, based at RAF Leeming for training on the Hawk Mk.167.

The QEAF's operational capabilities are centered on homeland defense, airspace security, and contributing to coalition operations. Its doctrine emphasizes interoperability with Western forces, demonstrated through frequent joint exercises like "Sky Shield" with US and French air forces. This focus on joint operations enables the QEAF to integrate with coalition forces and adopt advanced tactics and procedures. The development of a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) program in partnership with the U.S. Air Force aims to enhance close air support capabilities, maximizing the effectiveness of its new combat aircraft.

A massive recapitalization effort has dramatically increased the size and technological edge of the air force. Once operating a small fleet of Mirage 2000-5s, the QEAF has procured advanced combat aircraft, including the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and the F-15QA Strike Eagle. This diversification of suppliers provides Qatar with strategic leverage. The helicopter fleet has also been modernized with Apache Guardian attack helicopters and multi-role NH90 and AW139s. Pilot training systems have been upgraded with the acquisition of PC-21 and M-346 aircraft. To defend against ballistic missile threats, Qatar has invested heavily in systems like the Patriot PAC-3. There are also plans to upgrade the existing Rafale fleet to the F4 standard.

Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), official air force and government publications and dated press reports; the update journal below lists the sources of each pass. Last updated on 23 September 2026. Suggest a change

Frequently Asked Questions

How many aircraft does Qatar have?
Qatar Emiri Air Force operates 283 active military aircraft as of the current year. Additionally, 8 aircraft are currently on order.
How does Qatar's air force rank globally?
Qatar Emiri Air Force ranks #22 out of 161 air forces worldwide based on the AIRS Index (Air Inventory Rating of Strength), which measures overall air power capability considering fleet size and combat effectiveness.
How many combat aircraft does Qatar operate?
Qatar operates 126 combat aircraft, including fighters, multirole jets, and attack aircraft. These form the core of its offensive and defensive air capabilities.
How many military helicopters does Qatar have?
Qatar Emiri Air Force operates 86 military helicopters, including attack, transport, and utility rotorcraft used for various combat and support missions.
What is the AIRS Index score of Qatar?
Qatar has an AIRS Index (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) score of 15.2 out of 100. This composite score weights every active airframe by category and by generation tier (strategic bombers highest, then combat aircraft, helicopters and transports), scales the combat fleet by its enablers โ€” tankers and airborne early warning โ€” and its stand-off armament, and applies a budget-based availability proxy to the whole force.
Where does Qatar get its military aircraft from?
Qatar sources its military aircraft primarily from France, United States, and Italy. The fleet composition reflects both domestic production capabilities and international defense partnerships.
Compare this Air Force
๐Ÿ‡ถ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Qatar vs
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช United Arab Emirates ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ญ Bahrain ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ท Iran ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ผ Kuwait ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia
Related Pages
Qatari Military Ranks
Latest Data Updates
  1. SEP 232026 Updated Order for 12 additional Eurofighter Typhoons removed as unconfirmed.
  2. SEP 232026 Updated AH-64E Apache follow-on order removed as the 2019 export approval never became a contract.
  3. SEP 92026 Updated F-15QA fleet history linked to the F-15EX Eagle II page
  4. SEP 92026 Updated F-15QA fleet updated: the follow-on batch is delivered, leaving none outstanding
  5. AUG 202026 Updated MQ-9B rows repointed from the MQ-9A Reaper page to the new dedicated MQ-9B SkyGuardian page.
  6. AUG 202026 Updated First UAV inventory pass: TB2 and the MQ-9B order added to the 2026 snapshot.
  7. JUL 242026 Updated A330 MRTT fleet entry linked to its aircraft page