U.S. and Regional Partners Launch New Air and Missile Defense Coordination Cell in Qatar

U.S. Central Command and regional partners have opened a new Middle Eastern Air Defense – Combined Defense Operations Cell at Al Udeid Air Base, marking a significant expansion of integrated air and missile defense cooperation across the Middle East.

The new cell is housed within the Combined Air Operations Center, a Qatar-based hub that has operated for more than two decades and currently includes military representatives from 17 nations. While the center already coordinates regional air operations, the newly established cell is specifically designed to strengthen joint air and missile defense planning, coordination, and real-time information sharing among U.S. and partner forces.

“This is a significant step forward in strengthening regional defense cooperation,” said Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command. “This cell will improve how regional forces coordinate and share air and missile defense responsibilities across the Middle East.”

The operations cell will be staffed by U.S. Air Forces Central personnel working side by side with regional counterparts. Their mission includes planning multinational exercises, conducting joint drills, responding to contingencies, and sharing threat warnings to improve collective readiness and defensive coverage across the region.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Derek France, commander of U.S. Air Forces Central, emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative, noting that the cell provides a consistent venue for partners to share expertise and develop new solutions together—strengthening integrated air and missile defense throughout the region.

The launch of the new coordination cell follows the opening of two bilateral combined air and missile defense command posts last year, established by U.S. Army Central in partnership with Qatar and Bahrain. Those facilities serve as hubs for joint planning and operations, and the new cell builds on that foundation by further institutionalizing multilateral defense coordination.

Together, these developments signal a continued U.S. and regional push toward more integrated, shared air and missile defense architecture amid ongoing security challenges across the Middle East.