Noa Lazimi: The importance of this step must be understood against the backdrop of Qatar’s considerable investment in recent years in the modernization of its air force, as part of a comprehensive policy to strengthen its military capabilities.
“According to an in-depth monitoring report by MEMRI [Middle East Media Research Institute], about a decade ago, Doha’s air fleet consisted of only 12 fighter jets in total (of which 9 were operational). Today, following an accelerated strategy of armament, the fleet has been dramatically expanded due to purchases from the U.S. and a number of European countries.”
This expansion is not just in hardware but also in operational know-how, with Qatar gaining experience through multinational joint exercises, including air training with hostile countries like Turkey and Pakistan.
“This raises the fear that Qatar will serve as a bridge for transferring advanced Western technologies and tactics to elements hostile to Israel, such as Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, and others.
The full interview was published in JNS on October 17, 2025.
