Qatar orders Thales air-surveillance radars

Qatar has ordered the GM200 MM/A radar. (Thales)

Qatar has ordered Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400α) and Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-one (GM200 MM/A) radars to help protect its airspace, Thales announced on 28 January.

It said the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) signed the order for the radars and ten years of maintenance during the DIMDEX show held in Doha from 19 to 22 January.

The contract does not appear to have been announced during the show, although the official Qatar News Agency reported that Thales had signed an agreement with the Qatar Armed Forces' Procurement and Supply Authority.

The GM400α is the current iteration of Thales' military long-range air-surveillance radar and is stated to have a range of up to 515 km.

The GM200 MM/A is a development of the GM200 medium-range mobile radar that provides air and surface surveillance out to ranges of 350 km, as well as fire control for air-defence systems, including ones designed to intercept artillery projectiles.

Thales has already delivered the RBE2 radars for the QEAF's Rafale multirole fighters and a long-range L-band air-surveillance radar that was inaugurated by the Qatari transport minister in the north of the emirate in June 2023.

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