“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality, interoperability,” Hegseth said during a meeting with his Qatari counterpart Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon.

“It’s just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, Your Excellency, that you can count on us.”

The announcement of the deal comes just weeks after President Donald Trump signed an executive order for the US to guarantee the security of Qatar — a significant commitment to a non-NATO, Arab ally. Israel had bombed Qatar several days earlier as part of an operation against Hamas officials living in Doha. But sources told CNN that the plan to build the Qatari facility has been in the works for several years, dating back to the previous administration.

A US official said the agreement with Qatar is routine and something the Air Force has done for decades with other partner nations including Germany and Singapore.

Hegseth later on Friday wrote in a post on X, “The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership with Qatar, including today’s announced cooperation with F-15QA aircraft,” emphasizing there will be no Qatari owned base in the US.

Hegseth praised Qatar for playing a “substantial role” in the peace talks that led to a ceasefire and hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas, as well as the Persian Gulf country’s support when the US struck Iranian nuclear sites in June. Qatar is also home to the largest US military base in the region at Al-Udeid.

The Qatar facility specifically has been in the works for several years; a 2022 announcement from Mountain Home Air Force Base, published while President Joe Biden was in office, provided the results of an environmental assessment looking at the “potential impacts associated with the beddown of a US-led Qatar Emiri Air Force F-15QA squadron” at the base.

The “beddown” is facilities for the training squadron’s operations, the US official stated, providing space for the pilots to train, brief, do their scheduling, and more. The countries who send pilots as part of this program provide the US funds through foreign military sales to build the facilities, the official added, and the military hires community labor around the bases to build them out.

The final environmental impact report published in 2022 said it was for “the beddown of 12 F-15QA permanently assigned QEAF aircraft and associated equipment, use of the Mountain Home Air Force Base airfield and special use airspace and military training routes for training, use of defensive countermeasures and ordnance, approximately 300 additional QEAF and United States Air Force personnel, and the construction and modification of facilities and infrastructure needed to support the beddown.”

The report said basing and operations were expected to begin in early Fiscal Year 2024, with an initial timeline of 10 years and an option to extend further if needed.

“We further welcome today’s signing of the letter of acceptance establishing a Qatar Emiri Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho,” al Thani stated, adding, “This step strengthens interoperabilities, enhances joint readiness, and advances our shared defense goals. Mr. Secretary, together we will continue to deepen this strategic partnership in pursuit of lasting peace and shared security.”