Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that Qatar will establish a training facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, where its pilots will train alongside US airmen on F-15 fighter jets. The plan, several years in the making, is part of a long-term military partnership between the two allies.
Hegseth said the arrangement will “enhance our combined training” and improve “lethality and interoperability,” emphasizing that the base will remain under full jurisdiction. The project, approved by the State Department in 2016 as part of Qatar’s F-15 purchase, includes housing 12 aircraft and about 300 personnel. A 2022 environmental study described the effort as a ten-year initiative, with an option to extend.
Qatar’s Defense Minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman AL Thani, who met with Hegseth at the Pentagon, said the move “strengthens interoperability, enhances joint readiness, and advances our shared defense goals.” The two officials signed a letter of acceptance establishing the Qatari Emiri Air Force’s presence at the Idaho base.
Give the gift of hope
We practice what we preach:
accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone.
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
Join us.
Support The Media Line. Save democracy.
The announcement drew confusion online, with some critics claiming the US was allowing a foreign military base on its soil. Hegseth clarified that Qatar’s pilots would operate under the US 366th Fighter Wing, similar to existing programs involving Germany, Singapore, and other allies.
Qatar’s limited geography has long restricted its ability to conduct full-scale training. Mountain Home’s arid terrain resembles the Gulf state’s desert environment, making it ideal for realistic exercises. Singapore and Germany maintain similar arrangements in the US, while Britain operates a joint squadron with Qatar in the United Kingdom.
Hegseth also commended Doha for its “substantial role” in mediating the ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas and for supporting Us strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year. Qatar already hosts the US Central Command’s regional headquarters at Al Udeid Air Base, home to roughly 13,000 American troops.
Despite online criticism from some Trump supporters, defense officials described the Idaho facility as routine and consistent with decades of cooperation between the United States and trusted partner nations.