Aircraft
Gulf States' Airpower Capabilities Are Still Evolving
Regional air forces mature as modernization programs bear fruit
Qatar Air Force F-15.
Qatar Air Force F-15. © David McIntosh/AIN

Standing at the crossroads of cultures and a source of great natural wealth, the Gulf region has become a geopolitical hotbed with rising military presence from both global powers and, more recently, the smaller nations that fringe the waters of the Gulf. The last decade has seen a dramatic rise in both the numbers and capabilities of combat aircraft operated by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members. 

Alongside that has been a drive by some of the members—notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE—to develop their military industrial bases as part of a wider effort to shift their economies away from an over-reliance on natural resources.