"Mountain Home Airbase already hosts Singapore's F-15s, and pilots from dozens of countries receive training on U.S. soil. However, the deal Hegseth announced on Friday is unusual in that Qatar will be constructing a new air force facility from the ground up. Even close U.S. allies typically don't have such military facilities in the U.S. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the nature of the agreement."
"The big picture: Qatar placed a $12 billion order for 36 advanced F-15 fighter jets in 2017. But Qater has significant airspace limitations when it comes to training pilots, both because of its small size and because it's mostly flat desert terrain, the source said. The desire to train pilots in different landscapes and weather conditions led to the conversations about a site in the U.S., the source said."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a forthcoming "Qatari Emiri Air Force facility" to be built within a U.S. air base and under U.S. jurisdiction, according to a source. The agreement traces back several years, with discussions beginning during the Biden administration. Mountain Home Airbase already hosts Singapore's F-15s and trains pilots from dozens of countries. Qatar will construct a new facility from the ground up, an arrangement uncommon even for close U.S. allies. Qatar ordered 36 advanced F-15s for $12 billion in 2017 and seeks U.S. training due to limited Qatari airspace and flat desert terrain.
Read at Axios
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