The upcoming 2025 Eagle Resolve exercise presents a prime opportunity for the United States, Qatar and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners to increase their capabilities by practicing integrated air and missile defense (IAMD).

Eagle Resolve is a US Central Command (CENTCOM) Combined Joint All-Domain exercise that is hosted on a rotational basis by GCC nations in the region and changes focus every few years to a specific area of defense.

Qatar is slated for 2025-2026.

The biennial exercise, which began in 1999, aims to enhance security and coordination across the Arabian Peninsula and develop partner nations' ability to respond to current and emerging threats in the region.

Participants are set to include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, alongside US forces.

Eagle Resolve has focused on diverse defense domains, including air, land, sea, space and cyberspace.

While the 2025 iteration has a heavy focus on cybersecurity, it will also offer participants the chance to enhance IAMD.

Qatar in particular has bolstered its air and missile defense capabilities in recent years, basing its IAMD on US equipment.

The United States' IAMD includes four key systems: the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), the MIM-104 Patriot and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer equipped with the Aegis Combat System.

These systems collectively provide a comprehensive shield against a spectrum of aerial threats, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Qatar has so far acquired three of these four systems. It ordered the THAAD missile system in 2014, and NASAMS and Patriot weapon systems in 2019.

While Qatar does not possess Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, the US Navy's presence in the region, particularly through its base in Bahrain, ensures that these advanced warships can be rapidly integrated into Qatar's IAMD framework if necessary.

This collaboration underscores the strategic partnership between the United States and Qatar in maintaining regional security.

By participating in Eagle Resolve 2025, Qatar and its GCC neighbors will have the chance to test and refine their IAMD systems in a coordinated environment, thereby enhancing interoperability and collective defense capabilities.

This exercise will allow for the assessment of current systems and the identification of areas for improvement, ensuring that all participating nations are better prepared to counter evolving aerial threats.

Qatar's acquisition of advanced air and missile defense systems, combined with collaborative exercises like Eagle Resolve 2025, highlights the nation's commitment to regional security and its strategic partnership with the United States.