An inauguration ceremony for Qatar's F-15QA, dubbed Ababeel, was held in the United States on Thursday in the presence of HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah, who visited Boeing Defence, Space and Security — a division of The Boeing Company — and inspected the production line for manufacturing the F-15QA aircraft.
Ababeel fighters feature next-generation combat aircraft technologies, such as electronic flight controls, an all-glass digital cockpit, state-of-the-art sensors, advanced radar technology, and electronic warfare capabilities backed by digital engineering and advanced manufacturing, making them a transformative leap for the F-15 fighters.
Ababeel will enhance the air superiority of the Qatar Amiri Air Force with more advanced fighters and a greater range and payload compared to any other fighter.
The inauguration comes within the framework of co-operation between the Qatar Amiri Air Force and the US Air Force. The first group of Ababeel fighters will arrive in Qatar later this year after completing the initial training for the air crews in the United States of America.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by HE Qatari ambassador to the US Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad al-Thani, HE Commander of Qatar Amiri Air Force Major General (Pilot) Salem Hamad Aqeil al-Nabet and high-ranking officers of the Amiri Air Force.
From the US side, the event was attended by Director of the US Defence Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) Heidi Grant, Governor of the US State of Missouri Michael L Parson, President and CEO of Boeing Defensce, Space and Security Leanne Caret, and a number of officers of the US forces.