Amidst intensified diplomatic blockade by Arab quartet, Qatar purchases 12 more Rafale fighter jets

Doha, March 31: Amidst intensified diplomatic blockade by Arab quartet, Qatar has decided to buy 12 more Rafale fighter jets with an aim to boost and strengthen its defence sector. Notably, the development comes after the economic and financial impact on Qatar put by Arab quartet including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt led blockade is fading slowly.

 

Qatar has paid its down payment to Paris based Dassault Aviation to buy 12 more Rafale fighter jets. However, the order from Qatar has allowed Dassault Aviation to record the first deal in its 2018 order book. This order will bring Qatar’s total of Rafales to 36.

Meanwhile, Qatar informed about its decision saying that the country in the month of December last year took up the option, which was in a May 4, 2015, contract with Dassault for an initial order for 24 Rafale jets. The 2015 deal was worth U.S. $7.8 billion and included missiles, training pilots and some 100 mechanics.

Qatar has already ordered 24 Eurofighter Typhoons and six Hawk trainers and is also acquiring the Boeing F-15QA fighter. The Qatar Air Force currently flies the Mirage 2000-5. The United States also approved a request from Qatar to upgrade the emirate's air force operations centre.

In the month of June last year, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and several other nations cut ties with Qatar and imposed stringent economic sanctions on it over supporting extremism. On the other side, Qatar denied all their allegations saying that they never supported Islamist militants and Shi'ite Iran.

Later, Saudi and its allies issued a 13-point list of demands to end the rift on June 22 and gave Qatar 10 days to comply. However, earlier Qatar rejected to fulfill the demands. The controversial Qatar World Cup will take place Nov. 21-Dec. 18 in 2022.

In December last year, Boeing Co have been awarded a $6.2-billion contract for 36 F-15 aircraft for Qatar's air force. The hardcore aircraft will be delivered to Qatar Emiri Air Force at the end of 2022 and will be built by the aerospace giant in St Louis, in the US state of Missouri.