Washington approves $1bn Qatar arms deal

The United States government on Wednesday approved a $1.1bn deal to service Qatar’s F-15 fighter jets despite the diplomatic stand-off between the Gulf emirate and its neighbors.

Qatar, home to one of the largest US military bases in the Middle East, is locked in a bitter dispute with Washington’s other Arab allies in the region, led by Saudi Arabia.

On Wednesday, the State Department announced it had approved a $1.1bn contract to service Qatar’s F-15QA jets and build them ground facilities and hardened bunkers.

“Qatar is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Persian Gulf region,” the department said, in a note from its Defence Security Cooperation Agency.

“Our mutual defence interests anchor our relationship and the Qatar Emiri Air Force plays a predominant role in Qatar’s defence.”

The new maintenance and training facilities will also come with improved “cyber security services, mission critical computer resources, support services, force protection services”.

See full details from main source Middle East Eye, released on November 1, 2017.