France’s Thales has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Qatar Armed Forces for the selection and deployment of multi-platform surveillance radar.

The airborne Searchmaster radar is designed to meet the surveillance requirements of five mission types: ground surveillance, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance and tactical air support. The radar features an active electronically scanned array (AESA) based on technologies developed for the nose-mounted radar of the Rafale fighter jet.

The radar is understood to equip Qatar Armed Forces’ optionally piloted vehicles - aircraft (OPV-A) and respond to their land and naval surveillance requirements. The radar can provide a range of 200 nautical miles and is designed to detect the smallest stationary and moving maritime target, including in high sea states.

Qatar, along with most of the other GCC states, has been fast-tracking its arms and weapons orders, in view of the rising geopolitical conflicts within and around the region.

Qatar procured 24 Rafale combat aircraft in May 2015. The contract was the third foreign order for Rafale jets in 2015 and includes the training of 36 Qatari pilots, 100 technicians and an undisclosed number of intelligence officers.