NATO Mobile Training Team (MTT) conducted a two-week visit to Al Udeid Air Base in June 2024, providing training for Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) officers on evaluating operational processes and assessing the interoperability of an Air Transport Unit under NATO standards, according to a press release.
The training, which took place from June 4 to 8, aimed to build national capabilities and enhance Qatar’s interoperability with NATO, supporting the achievement of mutually agreed partnership goals.
The Alliance said that nine NATO and national instructors introduced relevant Alliance documents to twelve Qatari trainees, certifying them to evaluate their country’s units against NATO standards.
“Building national capabilities enhancing Qatar’s interoperability with NATO is a top priority and directly supports the achievement of our mutually agreed Partnership goals,” said Mr. Luigi Cipri, MTT team leader from Joint Forces Command Naples.
“During the course, our Qatari students demonstrated high levels of professionalism and eagerness to quickly adopt and adhere to NATO procedures.”
From June 9 to 13, experts from Allied Air Command Ramstein, Joint Forces Command Naples, NATO, and Azerbaijan assisted the QEAF in evaluating the interoperability level of a C-130 Air Transport Unit within Alliance operations.
In 2022, two of the unit’s Hercules C-130 transport aircraft were declared to the NATO pool of forces to potentially support Alliance missions as part of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI).
The ICI is a partnership framework aimed at contributing to long-term global and regional security by offering non-NATO countries in the Middle East the opportunity to cooperate with NATO. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates formally joined the ICI in 2005, while Oman and Saudi Arabia participate in selected activities within the framework.
