Doha                                                                                                                                                                                   02 May 2018                                                                                                                                                               (Media Reports)

Dr Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, State of Qatar was guest of honour at the 100th birthday celebrations of United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force recently held at Doha Shangrila Hotel. The event was organised by the Defence Section of the British Embassy.  World’s first unified and independent UK’s Royal Air Force 100th birthday was 1st of May, forefront in resolving crisis, conflicts and carrying out humanitarian operations.

Dr. Khalid bin Mohammad AlAttiyah conveyed his best wishes and greetings to the embassy officials on the occasion.

Dinner was hosted on the occasion by Air Marshal Stuart Atha attended by Staff Maj. Gen. (Pilot) Mubarak bin Mohammed al Khayarin, Commander of the Qatar Amiri Air Force, Ajay Sharma,  British ambassador to Qatar, Air Chief Marshall Sir Glenn Torpy, Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, Maj. Gen. Ali Abdulla Al Muhannadi, Air Commodore Patrick O’Donnell, Air Commodore Roddy Dennis, Brig. Yousef Shaheen Al Ateeq, Col. Mohammad Al Mansoori and Lt. Col. Faisel al Ghanem.

Also present on the occasion were senior members of BAE Systems and RAF personnel deployed at Al-Udeid Air Base, Senior Aircraftsman Tom Elwick, the most junior airman on the Base.

Senior airmen from the United Kingdom and Qatar gathered together to reflect on a century of RAF achievement and to look forward to the next 100 years, which will begin with the formation of a joint UK/Qatari Typhoon Squadron.

Air Marshal Stuart Atha said:”It is a great pleasure to host such a significant event here in Doha. Throughout its first 100 years, the RAF has been innovative and involved in operations across the globe, and I don’t see that changing over the next century. Key to our continued success will be partnerships and none is more important than that between the RAF and the Qatari Air Force. The joint Typhoon squadron is an exciting opportunity to develop relationships and to deliver a world class capability. I am delighted to be in Doha and to have the opportunity to commemorate the RAF’s past, celebrate its present and to look to the future with optimism and confidence in the company of senior Qatari aviators.”