Expanding Cooperation with Qatar

“Both sides are committed to exploring further opportunities for cooperation, so we are examining how we can extend our joint approach to the land forces as well. Our shared military technology foundations provide an excellent opportunity to coordinate and deepen training and preparedness procedures,” said the Chief of Defence, emphasising that the Qatar Armed Forces’ military equipment inventory includes several items also in service with the HDF: the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer, the Leopard 2A7 main battle tank and the Ejder Yalcin armoured tactical vehicle (“Gidrán” in Hungarian).

“There are opportunities in this area as well to further develop special operations capabilities: training in diving, static line and free-fall airborne training as part of exchange programs, as well as preparation of combat medic teams, given that the on-site conditions here are more suitable than those for training in Hungary,” added the Chief of Defence after visiting the Special Operations Forces training center, which was combined with a capability demonstration.

General Sándor visited the Al Zaeem Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Attiyah Air Academy, where two Hungarian cadet pilots recently completed their basic and tactical pilot training on PC21 aircraft with excellent results.

The current consultations are closely linked to recent developments in military diplomacy: on July 21, General Zsolt Sándor received Radi Sowayed B.S. Alajami, the Qatari Ambassador to Budapest, on a courtesy call. The discussions focused on expanding military cooperation. The parties agreed that there are numerous opportunities available in the areas of training and the exchange of lessons learned, as Qatar also possesses a range of military equipment in service with the HDF. Consequently, their operational and practical lessons learned are extremely useful to the HDF.