Despite Qatar and Saudi Arabia having no diplomatic relations or open defence ties with Israel, Israeli defence companies supplied advanced systems and equipment for F-15 fighter jets operated by both countries, according to a report.
Three aircraft from the Qatari royal fleet were fitted with Elbit Systems' C-MUSIC air defence system between 2020 and 2022 during maintenance work in Basel. The system uses radar technology to detect incoming shoulder-fired missiles and deploys a laser-based countermeasure to protect aircraft from threats, , according to a Haaretz report based on analysis of publicly available images and defence contract details.
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani travelled to Tehran in 2025 aboard an aircraft equipped with the Israeli-made defence system, according to Haaretz.
The report also cited details from the 2017 US-Qatar agreement for the purchase of F-15QA Ababil fighter jets, under which Israeli firms secured subcontracts worth an estimated $150 million-250 million to supply components and systems. These included Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) helmets and AN/AVS-9 night-vision equipment.
A US Defence Department statement from 2010 showed similar Israeli-made equipment was supplied to Saudi Arabia as part of Boeing's F-15SA fighter jet deal, with Riyadh receiving hundreds of JHMCS helmets and night-vision systems, the report said. The JHMCS technology displays flight information on the pilot's visor and allows pilots to track and engage targets more effectively.
The report noted that the sales took place despite Qatar and Saudi Arabia having no formal diplomatic relations with Israel. It added that Saudi-Israeli normalisation talks had gained momentum before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack but are currently stalled.
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