Doha and Ankara deepen military cooperation

Ankara may want to give the impression that it wants better relations with the West, including the European Union, but its main allies seem to still be Moscow and Doha.

This past week, a military agreement between Qatar and Turkey was announced, which, among other things, calls for the deployment of up to 36 Qatari fighter jets on Turkish territory. The agreement also refers to the deployment of Qatari transport planes as well as joint training of the two countries’ pilots.

One point of great interest to Turkey, which the country’s media pointed out, is that Qatar’s air force has French-made Rafale and Mirage 2000-5 planes, which Turkey lacks. Greece, on the other hand, has the Mirage 2000-5 and the Rafale is set to be delivered soon.

Joint training will help Turkish pilots familiarize themselves with the planes and, as media put it, “unlock the mysteries” of the Rafale.