Thread by @brianalmon

Colonel David Gunter, commander of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, shares an update with the interim legislative committee on federalism.

Part of the update is about the deal to train Qatari airmen at the base.

Col. Gunter says the deal has been in the works since 2018, and that all safety considerations have been taken. He says American airmen, including himself, have flown alongside allies from other nations in the Middle East.

Col. Gunter says the plan is to have around 50 Qatari airmen by 2030, which will grow to around 300, including other US airmen. He says the program will focus on transparency and collaboration with federal, state, and local jurisdictions.

Col. Gunter says that security and vetting are paramount. The Dept. of War has procedures in place for processing international allies who train with American personnel.

Col. Gunter reiterates that all structures and facilities at MHAFB will remain the property of the United States, and will be paid for as part of the deal to sell fighter jets to Qatar.

Sen. James Ruchti, attending remotely, asks if the start date for the training program was moved up. Col. Gunter says it was originally 2024, but is now much further down the line.

Sen. Ruchti asks for more details about operational security. Col. Gunter says it’s the same as with all international partners. He says he can’t go into fine detail, but procedures include designating certain areas as off limits and maintaining information security.

Sen. Ruchti asks about potential dependents - family members of Qatari airmen. Col. Gunter says there is a thorough vetting process, and any foreign civilians would be subject to the same restrictions.

Sen. Todd Lakey asks what happens if there is an issue with foreign personnel or dependents. Col. Gunter says security forces at MHAFB have jurisdiction there to enforce the law and the provisions of the joint training agreement. He adds that anything off base would be handled by local law enforcement.

Sen. Lakey asks about supervisory coordination between MHAFB leadership and Qatari leaders. Col. Gunter says the joint squadron will be US-led, as with all other international personnel.

Rep. Dale Hawkins says Idaho has unwavering support for the US Air Force, but he’s been hearing from many concerned constituents regarding working with a nation that has been connected to international terrorism.

Col. Gunter says he understands the concern, and the vetting process for all international training programs is robust and thorough.

Sen. Cindy Carlson asks how long the program will last. Col. Gunter says the initial program will be ten years, but could be extended or not after that.

Carlson asks if live ammunition is used in training. Gunter says they train in the same manner as US airmen, which often uses simulated ammunition, live flares, and occasionally live munitions.

Sen. Carlson says she wants to be on the record with her concerns about partnering with Qatar, which has had connections to terrorism.

Rep. Charlie Shepherd posits a scenario in which a Qatari airman goes rogue, with live ammunition. Col. Gunter says the F-15QA has a two-man cockpit, and missions use two aircraft.

He says he’s confident in the vetting process, and has always been impressed with the professionalism of his Qatari counterparts.

Rep. Judy Boyle, chairing the committee, asks how this program helps America. Col. Gunter says we rely on allies and partners to multiply our abilities. Training Qataris and other partners enables us to rely on them should we need to operate with them in a combat scenario.

Rep. Boyle asks if there’s ever been an incident where a foreign pilot went rogue. Col. Gunter says he’s not aware of any such incident.

Boyle asks about the length of deployment. Gunter says they will rotate through MHAFB before going back to Qatar.

Boyle asks about the impact of trainees and potential families on Mountain Home. Col. Gunter says he’s not aware of specific details at this time. He says discussions with the local community are ongoing.

Sen. Ruchti asks about potential Qatari intelligence operations. He recalls his time as a military intelligence officer being carefully watched while in Jordan. Will we watch the Qataris?

Col. Gunter says he cannot divulge specifics regarding counter intelligence, but such programs are in place.

And done. Col. Gunter said he and his team would leave contact info to connect with anyone who had additional questions.

Col. Gunter speaks with Reps. Lucas Cayler, David Leavitt, and Kent Marmon following the hearing.

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