Qatar will construct an air force training facility in the United States under a new bilateral defense arrangement, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.
The agreement allows the Gulf nation to establish the installation at Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho, marking a deepening of defense cooperation between the two allies.
The BBC reports that the center will host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and their pilots for advanced flight training.
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Hegseth said the Idaho site was chosen to improve coordination and interoperability between the U.S. and Qatari air forces, adding that the effort is “just another example of our partnership.”
He made the remarks during a meeting with Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatar’s Minister of State for Defense Affairs, at the Pentagon.
Hegseth praised Qatar for its diplomatic role in supporting President Donald Trump’s push to secure a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release arrangement.
Qatar, together with Egypt and Turkey, has been involved in months of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict. “You can count on us,” Hegseth told al-Thani as he confirmed the letter of acceptance to begin the Idaho project.
The Pentagon did not disclose how many F-15 aircraft would be stationed at the new base or when the facility will become operational.
However, officials indicated the move is part of a broader plan to expand joint military training and boost the readiness of partner forces, BBC adds. The facility is expected to improve shared operational tactics and enhance joint combat preparedness.
The announcement comes weeks after Trump signed an executive order pledging the full support of U.S. defense assets to safeguard Qatar.
The unprecedented order effectively creates a security arrangement resembling aspects of a NATO alliance, underscoring Washington’s commitment to its key Middle Eastern partner.
Qatar already hosts Al-Udeid Airbase, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East, which serves as the operational hub for American air missions across the region.
The facility was targeted earlier this year by Iranian strikes following U.S. attacks on Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, highlighting the volatility surrounding American operations in the Gulf.
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