Qatar in talks with US about buying F-35 warplanes: Report

Qatar has held talks with the US about purchasing advanced F-35 warplanes, according to an Israeli media report.

Qatar’s bid to revive its five-year-old attempt to buy the US’s most advanced jet fighter comes after Trump said in November he would sell Saudi Arabia F-35s that are of the same calibre as Israel’s.

Israel’s Channel 12 news, which reported the Qatari bid, said Israel is concerned about the discussions, which appear to be preliminary.

If the talks progress, Qatar would join Saudi Arabia and Turkey in seeking to acquire the F-35, which is currently operated only by Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has actively lobbied the US against the sales to both Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Middle East Eye has reported. US President Donald Trump has publicly confirmed the efforts. 

Trump pledged that Saudi Arabia and Israel would be treated as equal partners when it comes to the F-35 in an Oval Office meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in November.

"I know they [Israel] would like you [Saudi Arabia] to get planes of reduced calibre. I don’t think that makes you too happy… I think they [Saudi Arabia and Israel] are both at a level where they should get top of the line,” Trump said.

Turkey

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Saudi Arabia has a better chance of securing the warplanes than Turkey, for now. The kingdom is also awaiting approval of a key defence agreement that US officials tell MEE will expedite arms sales. 

Although Ankara never operated the F-35, it was expelled from the warplane’s co-production programme in 2019 after it purchased the Russian S-400 air defence system.

In 2020, Turkey was included in an amendment in a US defence bill that banned it from receiving the F-35 unless the president certifies that Turkey no longer possess the Russian air defence system.

On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Turkey was seeking to return the S-400 to Russia as it seeks to buy F-35s.

Netanyahu lobbied US Secretary of State Marco Rubio against selling F-35s to Turkey earlier this year, MEE revealed.

Turkey and Israel have clashed over Syria and Ankara’s statements of support for the Palestinians.

Likewise, ties between Israel and Qatar plunged to historic lows in September when Israel attacked Hamas negotiators in Doha.

Channel 12 reported that Israeli officials were concerned about the US-Qatar talks.

In response, the Israelis are formulating a package of requests to purchase an additional two squadrons of advanced warplanes - one of F-35s and another of F-15I aircraft - in addition to advanced munitions and related systems.