DOHA : Qatar has signed a new air-defence radar procurement contract with French defence and electronics company Thales for the supply of Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400α) and Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radar systems, aimed at strengthening national airspace surveillance and early-warning capabilities.
Thales announced the agreement on 28 January, stating that the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) placed the order during the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX), held in Doha from 19 to 22 January. The contract also includes a ten-year maintenance and combat-readiness support programme running until 2036. The contract value and the number of radar units ordered have not been disclosed.
Although the agreement was not formally announced during DIMDEX, the official Qatar News Agency reported that Thales had signed an agreement with the Qatar Armed Forces’ Procurement and Supply Authority. Defence publication opex360 later confirmed that the contract covers the delivery of GM400α and GM200 MM/A radar systems to the Qatar Air Force.
Radar systems ordered
The Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400α) is the latest version of Thales’ long-range military air-surveillance radar. According to Thales, the system has an instrumented detection range of more than 515 km and incorporates five times more data-processing power than earlier GM400 variants. The radar uses artificial intelligence-based algorithms to enhance target detection, classification, and tracking, including low-altitude and slow-moving objects in complex operational environments.
The Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) is a development of the GM200 medium-range mobile radar family. Based on new-generation 4D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, the system provides simultaneous air and surface surveillance and has a stated range of up to 350 km. Thales says the GM200 MM/A is capable of detecting and tracking small, fast, and manoeuvrable threats, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The radar can also provide fire-control support for air-defence systems, including systems designed to intercept artillery projectiles.
System integration and network architecture
Both radar types will be integrated into Qatar’s SDIP digital platform. According to Thales and opex360, this platform will allow the Qatari military to combine data from all non-US sensors into a single air-defence system, providing a consolidated national air picture. The integration is intended to improve sensor fusion, situational awareness, and command-and-control coordination across Qatar’s air-defence network.
Maintenance and support
The contract includes a long-term maintenance, training, and combat-readiness support programme extending through 2036. Thales has stated that the support package is intended to ensure sustained operational availability of the radar systems and ongoing technical assistance for the QEAF.
Existing Thales systems in Qatar
Thales has an established presence in Qatar’s air-defence and aerospace sectors. The company has previously delivered RBE2 AESA radars for the QEAF’s Rafale multirole fighter aircraft. In addition, Thales supplied a long-range L-band air-surveillance radar, which was officially inaugurated by Qatar’s transport minister in June 2023 in the northern part of the country.
The newly announced radar contract further expands Qatar’s ground-based air-surveillance capabilities and continues cooperation between the QEAF and Thales in air-defence, sensor integration, and long-term system support.
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