Boeing secured more than $800 million in three contracts related to the Middle East Training and Support agreements. The plane manufacturer announced that it committed to provide comprehensive support for QEAF, which would include the F-15QA pre-delivery training and maintenance support as well as logistical assistance for in-country services.
The first contract, which was valued at $240 million, was awarded back in 2019. Under the agreement, Boeing committed to supporting the Qatar Emiri Air Force with the management of the F-15QA program as well as maintenance and aircrew training over five years.
Under the additional $68 million worth contract, Boeing would take care of the maintenance and logistics issues for the QEAF during a pre-delivery training for the F-15QA fighter jet. The training would take place in the United States in 2021. The goal of the event would be to train pilots and weapon system operators of QEAF to operate the F-15QA aircraft. Boeing announced that a training program that would be held near the manufacturer’s F-15 jet production facility in St. Louis, U.S, and would consist of in-person instruction, simulations as well as flying operations.
The third contract, valued at more than $500 million, was awarded in November 2020, as announced by Boeing. As per the agreement, the manufacturer would provide the QEAF with spare parts and ensure further needed logistics support after the delivery of the F15-QA aircraft to Qatar.
Tim Buerk, the Director of Middle East defense services for Boeing, said that Boeing expected to continue its partnership with Qatar. “The tailored training and sustainment delivered by our team, coupled with Boeing’s platform expertise, allows us to deliver a holistic solution to our Qatari customer so they can optimize the full capability of their fleet with high availability rates,” Buerk is cited as saying in a press release published on November 10, 2020.
The F-15QA aircraft is the most advanced variant of the F-15 jet to date which was developed for the QEAF. Back in 2017, Boeing was awarded a $2 billion worth contract by Qatar’s Department of Defence following which Boeing committed to manufacturing a total of 36 F-15 jets starting from 2021.