Qatar’s new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs has visited RAF Coningsby
His Excellency Dr Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, Qatar’s new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs has visited RAF Coningsby, the home of No.12 Squadron, the UK-Qatar Joint Typhoon Squadron. Accompanied by HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom, the Deputy PM conducted an inspection tour of the Joint Squadron and received briefings from Qatari and British officers, as well as a demonstration of aircraft simulators and a tour of the flight line. At the conclusion of the visit, HE toured the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Museum.
He was received by Air Vice-Marshal Mark Jackson, UK Air Commander, and officers from the Qatar-UK Joint Squadrons (No.11 at Leeming and No.12 at Coningsby) during his visit to the United Kingdom.
This was his first official visit to the home of No.12 Squadron, though his predecessor, His Excellency Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, was a regular visitor. The latter had been a fighter pilot in the Qatar Emiri Air Force from 1987 to 1995, trained in the UK, and had a close affinity with the joint squadrons at Coningsby and Leeming.
