In a significant development, an initial green light has been granted by the United States for Qatar, a resource-rich nation in the Middle East, to acquire eight armed MQ-9B Predator drones for its military, in a deal estimated to be worth approximately $2 billion. This approval from the State Department, announced on Thursday, marks Qatar’s progression in acquiring such military equipment. Despite acting as a go-between for Washington with regard to the Taliban in Afghanistan, Iran, and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Qatar had previously struggled to secure the purchase during the Biden administration.
Interestingly, this swift approval comes under the auspices of President Donald Trump, setting a markedly different tone in his government’s dealings with Qatar. This contrasts his initial support for the four-nation blockade of Qatar in his earlier term. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated that the proposed sale aligns with U.S. foreign policy and national security goals, enhancing the security of Qatar, a country that plays a vital role in political stability and economic growth in the region.
There has been no immediate response from the Qatari government regarding this matter. As the second-largest purchaser of U.S. military resources following Saudi Arabia, Qatar has previously committed over $26 billion toward acquiring military assets such as F-15 fighter jets, Apache attack helicopters, and missile defense systems.
The sale now awaits review by the U.S. Congress, which typically assesses such transactions and holds the power to block them if deemed necessary. According to the sale terms, Qatar would acquire the drones along with numerous bombs and missiles to arm the aircraft, as well as the satellite equipment necessary for their operation.
These General Atomics Reaper drones, at an estimated cost of $30 million each, boast an impressive capability to operate at altitudes exceeding 40,000 feet (12,100 meters) and sustain flights over 30 hours before requiring refueling. Employed by both the U.S. military and the CIA, they have been utilized in operations across the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and more recently Yemen.
The approval for Qatar comes at a time when its neighbor, the United Arab Emirates, has been waiting since 2020 to finalize a purchase of up to 18 MQ-9 drones as part of a larger $23 billion package, which includes advanced F-35 fighter jets. President Trump has maintained particularly cordial relations with the UAE, a nation that formalized diplomatic recognition with Israel in 2020 under the Trump administration’s guidance.