TSAMTO, November 30. In the UK, flight tests of the first multi-purpose Typhoon fighter ordered for the Qatar Air Force under a contract from 2017 have begun.
As reported by Scramble.nl, the aircraft still in the primer (temporary serial number ZR505 and construction number MS001) was spotted during takeoff from Wharton Airfield on November 25.
Currently, Qatari Air Force pilots are being trained at the 12th Squadron of the British Air Force in Coningsby. It is expected that the first batch of Typhoon fighters will be transferred to Qatar in the summer of 2022.
As reported by TSAMTO, on September 17, 2017, the Defense ministers of Great Britain and Qatar signed an agreement of intent for the purchase by Qatar of 24 Typhoon multipurpose fighters. The agreement also included an option to supply 6 Hawk AJT jets. On December 10, 2017, the Government of Qatar signed a contract with BAE Systems worth about 5 billion pounds (about 6.9 billion dollars) for the supply of fighters, an accompanying maintenance package of equipment and training of personnel.
The contract entered into force on September 18, 2018 after BAE Systems received the first payment. The UK government supports the deal through insurance and a credit line opened by the UK Export Finance Department (UK Export Finance – UKEF).
In June 2018, a change was made to the contract, according to which the Qatar Air Force will receive 9 Hawk AJT TCB instead of six. Corresponding changes have been made to the initial support package. The transfer of the first "Qatari" TCB "Hawk AJT" to the joint training squadron at the a/b "Leeming" (Great Britain) took place in September 2021.
