French company Thales has been awarded a contract to deliver air defense radars to the Qatar Emiri Air Force.
The order includes the firm’s Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission All-in-One (GM200 MM/A) and Ground Master Alpha (GM400α) solutions, which will support multi-range air monitoring and bolster the Middle Eastern country’s deterrence against modern threats.
Alongside the radars, Doha will receive national-level management support specialists, corresponding sustainment systems, and training programs for operators and mechanics.
Local work to prepare Qatari teams will run daily until 2036, according to the company.
The GM200 MM/A and GM400α Systems
Thales’s GM200 MM/A is an “advanced aerial multi-mission” system designed to track small threats over a range of up to 350 kilometers (217 miles).
It incorporates a 20-foot (6-meter) ISO-standard container with a mast, a power generator, and command and control bays, with the entire package transportable by a military truck and deployable in under 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, the GM400α can locate targets with slow to high maneuvering profiles across complex environments.
It can also be moved in an ISO container and comes with its own lifting mechanism, enabling setup from a vehicle in one hour.
Each system is designed with the firm’s proprietary Secure Digital Integration Platform, a “force multiplier” that allows the relay of a live, unified view of the aerial domain between integrated sensing and command and control solutions over a safe, reliable network.
Enhancing ‘Airspace Sovereignty’
Raphael Desi, vice president of integrated airspace-protection systems activities at Thales, emphasized that the recent contract highlights the enterprise’s “enduring partnership” with Qatar.
“We are proud to contribute to Qatar’s airspace sovereignty with our integrated air surveillance system based on our advanced medium and long-range tactical radars,” he said.
“The GM200 MM/A and the GM400α will support the Qatar Emiri Air Force in maintaining sovereignty and protecting their airspace against drones and other threats.”
