U.S. Secures $1.2 Trillion in Economic Deals With Qatar, Including Record Boeing Jet Order
Defence and Energy Sectors Secure Major Long-Term Contracts Amid Middle East Tour
The agreement's centrepiece is Qatar Airways' $96 billion Boeing order for up to 210 widebody aircraft, including the 787 Dreamliner and the new 777X.
The planes will be powered by GE Aerospace engines, linking the deal directly to America’s aviation supply chain.
▸ According to the White House, this single order is expected to support 154,000 U.S. jobs annually, totalling over one million across the production cycle.
In addition to aviation, the defence industry is set to benefit from billions in procurement and infrastructure spending. Raytheon secured a $1 billion deal for counter-drone systems, making Qatar the first foreign technology buyer.
General Atomics will provide $2 billion worth of MQ-9B Reaper drones. A statement of intent also outlines over $38 billion in planned investments to upgrade the U.S. military’s presence at Al Udeid Air Base, one of the Pentagon’s most strategic installations in the Gulf.
Strategic Projects with U.S. Companies Expand Beyond Aviation and Defence
Beyond aircraft and arms, Qatar is entering long-term partnerships with several American corporations:
- Parsons was awarded up to 30 infrastructure and engineering projects worth $97 billion, pointing to a sharp increase in U.S. involvement in Qatar’s domestic development.
- McDermott manages active energy infrastructure contracts in Qatar valued at $8.5 billion.
- Quantinuum, a U.S. quantum computing firm, is forming a joint venture with Al Rabban Capital to invest $1 billion into advanced technologies and U.S. workforce development.
▸ The announcement follows a separate declaration from Saudi Arabia, which pledged $600 billion in U.S.-bound investment. This marks a sharp pivot in Gulf state capital flows toward American assets and technology.
Additionally, Qatar’s royal family has reportedly offered a Boeing 747-8 valued at $400 million to serve as a temporary Air Force One. At the same time, delays persist in Boeing’s development of the next-generation presidential aircraft, expected no earlier than 2029.
While this gesture has stirred controversy, the White House confirmed that legal reviews are underway to ensure compliance with procurement laws.
Qatar’s economy is now deeply embedded in U.S. supply chains, from aircraft assembly lines to drone manufacturers and engineering firms, and the deal reflects a broader recalibration of Middle Eastern economic alliances favouring American industrial participation over European or Asian alternatives.
