The commander of the U.S. Air Force’s 366th Fighter Wing told a committee of Idaho legislators on Friday that an initial contingent of about 50 Qatari Emiri Air Force personnel could arrive for training at Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base beginning around 2030 under a training program announced last month by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Col. David “Boar” Gunter told the Idaho Legislature’s Committee on Federalism that the number of personnel could increase to perhaps 300 people – in Qatari personnel and U.S. personnel – as the training program reaches its full operational capabilities. Overall the training program could last for 10 years, he said.

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