Editing Qatar Armed Forces (section)

===Qatari Emiri Air Force===
{{Main|Qatari Emiri Air Force}}

The '''Qatari 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 [[Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet|Alpha Jets]] in 1979. Fourteen [[Dassault Mirage F1]] were delivered between 1980 and 1984. After the [[Gulf War]], Qatar's air force infrastructure was upgraded by France for $200 million, leading to the order of nine single seat [[Dassault Mirage 2000|Mirage 2000-5DEA]] multi-role combat aircraft and three two seat [[Dassault Mirage 2000|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.<ref>[http://www.scramble.nl/qa.htm Scramble on the Web – Qatar Emiri Air Force]. Scramble.nl. Retrieved on 2011-03-28. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428094054/http://www.scramble.nl/qa.htm |date=April 28, 2012 }}</ref> 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. The past decade saw Qatar increase its air force with 96 planes from three different countries: the [[McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle|F-15]] from the US, France's [[Dassault Rafale|Rafale]], and the [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] from the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arms trade corruption – what do we know? |url=https://worldpeacefoundation.org/blog/arms-trade-corruption-what-do-we-know/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=World Peace Foundation |language=en}}</ref>

Its units include:
* No. 1 Fighter Wing
** No. 7 Air Superiority Squadron – [[Dassault]] [[Mirage 2000]] 
*** 9 single-seat Mirage 2000-5EDA
*** 3 2000-5DDA trainers
** No. 11 Close Support Squadron – [[Dassault]]/[[Dornier Flugzeugwerke|Dornier]] [[Alpha Jet]] 
* No. 2 Rotary Wing
** No. 6 Close Support Squadron – [[Eurocopter]] [[SA342]] 
** No. 8 Anti-Surface Vessel Squadron – [[Westland Sea King|Westland Sea King Commando Mk 3]]
** No. 9 Multi-Role Squadron – [[Westland Sea King|Westland Sea King Commando Mk 2]]
* [[Qatar Amiri Flight]] – [[C-17 Globemaster III]]