The Gulf state hosts the Al-Udeid Airbase, the largest American military post in the Middle East.
The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft to Qatar at an estimated cost of $1.96bn (QAR 7.16bn), a move that is set to improve the Gulf state’s capability in meeting “current and future threats”.
“The proposed sale will improve Qatar’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing timely intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, target acquisition, counter-land, and counter-surface sea capabilities,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement on Wednesday.
The agency, which falls under the U.S. Department of Defense, said it has also notified Congress on the potential sale.
The principal contractors will include General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation, Boeing Corporation, Leonardo SpA, and L3Harris, according to the statement.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the statement added.
Qatar has stood as the third largest arms importer globally between 2020-2024, according to the latest Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) fact sheet.
The Gulf state’s arms imports during the recorded period were 127 percent higher than in the years 2015-2019, with the U.S. accounting for 48 percent of its supply, according to SIPRI.
Between 2020-2024, Qatar’s imports included 42 combat aircraft from the U.S., 31 from the United Kingdom and 16 from France.
The Gulf state also hosts the Al-Udeid Airbase, the largest American military post in the Middle East. In January 2024, the U.S. agreed to extend its military presence at the base in Qatar for another decade.
In 2022, former U.S. President Joe Biden designated Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) as he met with Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Washington. The designation grants Washington’s foreign partners several benefits in areas concerning defence trade and security cooperation.
