Qatari Emiri Navy
| Qatari Emiri Navy | |
|---|---|
 Al Udeid fitting out at VTS Woolston | |
| Country |  Qatar |
| Branch | Navy |
| Role | Protection of Qatari territorial waters and oil rigs |
| Size | 2,500 personnel[1] |
| Part of | Qatar Armed Forces |
| Base locations | |
| Equipment |
|
| Commanders | |
| Chief of Staff | Maj. Gen. Abdullah Hassan Al-Sulaiti[2] |
| Insignia | |
| Naval ensign |  |
The Qatari Emiri Navy (Arabic: البحرية الأميري القطرية, romanized: Al-Bahriyah Al-Amiriyah Al-Qatariyah) (QEN), is the naval branch of the armed forces of the State of Qatar.
History
[edit]The State of Qatar did not possess any ships originally upon gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1971, but by 1992 the country's armed forces had grown considerably, and included a navy of about 700 personnel. Three La Combattante III missile boats from France formed the core of the Qatari fleet in the 1990s, later seeing the addition of six Vosper Thornycroft large patrol boats. By 2010, it increased in size to about 1,800 personnel, and has taken part in multiple naval exercises with the United States Navy and other countries.[3]
Organization
[edit]Unable to support a large military, Qatar relies on a smaller mobile force that can quickly repel incursions into its territorial waters. However, the Iran–Iraq War saw attacks on shipping just outside the country's territorial waters, underscoring its vulnerability. Despite the expansion, the Qatar Emiri Navy remains too under-manned, under-trained, and under-equipped to be able to effectively defend its waters as well as the commercial assets in it.[3] The Qatar Navy includes its coast guard, marine police and coastal artillery.
Ship and equipment of Qatari Emiri Navy
[edit]The current fleet of the Qatari Emiri Navy is as follows:
| Class or name | Image | Builder | Type | Year entered service | Details | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corvette | ||||||
| Doha class[4] | Fincantieri, Muggiano,  Italy
|
Corvette | 4 in service | 4 x 107-metre long corvette built by Fincantieri.
Armament : |
Al Zubarah (F101)
Al Khor (F103) | |
| Offshore patrol vessel | ||||||
| Musherib class[5] | Fincantieri, Muggiano, Italy
|
Offshore patrol vessel | 2 in service | 2 x 63-metre-long offshore patrol vessels built by Fincantieri.
Armament : |
Musherib (Q61) | |
| Ares 150 Hercules class[6] | Ares Shipyard, Antalya,  Turkey
|
Offshore patrol vessel | Expected 2020 | 2 x 48-metre offshore patrol vessels by Ares Shipyard.
Armament :
|
QC 901
QC 902 | |
| Fast attack craft | ||||||
| Damsah class[7] | CMN, Cherbourg,  France
|
Fast attack craft | 1982–1983
(Active) |
3 x 56-metre fast attack craft built by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie.
Armament :
|
Damsah (Q01)
Al Ghariyah (Q02) Rbigah (Q03) | |
| Barzan class[8] | Vosper Thornycroft, Southampton,  United Kingdom
|
Fast attack craft | 1996–1997
(Active) |
4 x 56-metre fast attack craft built by Vosper Thornycroft.
Armament : |
Barzan (Q04)
Huwar (Q05) Al Udied (Q06) Al Deebeel (Q07) | |
| MRTP 34 class[9] | Yonca-Onuk, Istanbul, Turkey
|
Fast attack craft | 2013
(Active) |
3 x 40-metre fast attack craft built by Yonca-Onuk. Armament :
|
Q31
Q32 Q33 | |
| MRTP 24/U class | Yonca-Onuk, Istanbul, Turkey
|
Fast attack craft | 2018
(Active) |
4 x 26.3-metre fast attack craft built by Yonca-Onuk. Also used as special operation craft.
Armament :
|
||
| MRTP 24/U class | Yonca-Onuk, Istanbul, Turkey
|
Fast attack craft | 2018
(Active) |
4 x 26.3-metre fast missile craft built by Yonca-Onuk.
Armament :
|
||
| MRTP 20 class | Yonca-Onuk, Istanbul, Turkey
|
Fast attack craft | (Active) | 10 x 22.55-metre fast attack craft built by Yonca-Onuk.
Armament :
|
||
| MRTP 16 class[10] | Yonca-Onuk, Istanbul, Turkey
|
Fast attack craft | 2012
(Active) |
3 x 17.7-metre fast attack craft built by Yonca-Onuk.
Armament :
|
Q49 | |
| Amphibious warfare ship | ||||||
| Al Fulk | Fincantieri | Landing Platform Dock /Helicopter Carrier | (Active) | Armament :
|
Helicopter
| |
| Robha class | Landing ship tank | (Active) | 1 x landing ship tank. | Can load 3 × MBTs and 100 men. | ||
| Landing ship utility | (Active) | 4 x landing ship utility. | ||||
| Support ship | (Active) | 1 x support ship. | ||||
| Training ship | ||||||
| Al Doha class | Anadolu Shipyard, Turkey
|
Training ship | Expected 2021[11] | 2 x 90-metre training ships. | Al Doha (QTS 91)
Al Shamal (QTS 92) | |
Minor patrol forces
[edit]- 4 Vosper patrol boats
United Kingdom
120 tons full load - 6 Vosper 110 ft. class PCs
United Kingdom - 6 Damen Polycat 1,450 class PCs
- 2 Keith Nelson type 44 ft.class PCs
- 2 Fairey Marine Interceptor class PCs
United Kingdom - 4 MV-45 class PCs
- 25 Fairy Marine Spear class
United Kingdom - 5 P-1500 class PCs
- 4 DV-15 class PCs
- 3 Helmatic M-160 class PCs
Special maritime forces
[edit]- 11 fast interceptor boats
Qatar
Auxiliary
[edit]- 2 Halmatic (Vosper Thornycroft) Pilot craft
- 4 Rotrork craft
Missiles and equipment
[edit]- 4 × Oto Melara 76 mm Compact-weapon system
Italy - MBDA Exocet MM40 Block-III (x 70)\ MM-40 (x 220)\ MM-38 SSMs
France - MBDA Mistral SAMs France
- 4 × Goalkeeper anti missile\aircraft gun
Netherlands - 4 × Stingeo ship sensor Netherlands
- 4 × Exocet coast defense batteries France
- 4 × MMR-3D Radar France
Ranks
[edit]- Officer ranks
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatari Emiri Navy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||||
| فريق أول Fariq 'awal |
فريق Fariq |
لواء Liwa |
عميد Amid |
عقيد Aqid |
مقدم Muqaddam |
رائد Ra'id |
نقيب Naqib |
ملازم أول Mulazim awwal |
ملازم Mulazim | |||||||||||||||
- Enlisted and NCO ranks
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatari Emiri Navy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| وكيل اول Wakil awwal |
وكيل ثاني Wakil thani |
رقيب Raqib |
نائب Nayib |
عريف Earif |
وكيل عريف Wakil earif |
جندي Jundi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Future acquisitions
[edit]The patrol boat program called for the delivery of six patrol boats with the first unit beginning construction in 2012 and being delivered by 2014. Although the proposals for the corvette program were due in the near-term as well, AMI believed that the four corvettes may not begin construction for several more years as Damen/Nakilat may want to gain some experience with the smaller 62-meter patrol boat hulls prior to moving on the larger Sigma hulls. If the QENF wishes to move the corvette program forward to an earlier date, it could start some of the hull blocks at Nakilat and/or at Damen in the Netherlands much earlier.[12]
The Qatar Coast Guard Services placed an order for 17 new fast patrol boats from the Turkish company ARES Shipyard. The deal of 17 vessels consists in ten "ARES 110 Hercules" multi-role patrol craft 117 tons, five "ARES 75 Hercules" multi-role patrol craft 58 tons and two "ARES 150 Hercules" multi-role patrol craft 245 tons. These fast patrol boats will be constructed using advanced composite materials and are expected to be completed within the next five years.[13]
On 31 March 2014, Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ) and Qatar Armed Forces signed two MoUs for the construction of seven vessels at Qatar's premier shipyard ($851 million). The MoUs signed by NDSQ and Qatar Armed Forces concern six 50 m (164 ft)-long axe-bow high-speed patrol vessels and one 52 m (171 ft)-long diving support vessel for the Qatar Armed Forces. The diving support vessel includes decompression capabilities. A large Integrated Logistic Support package is also mentioned in the MoUs.[14]
On 16 June 2016, Qatar has signed a letter of agreement with Italian shipyard Fincantieri to build:
- 1 landing helicopter dock (similar to the Fincantieri-built Algerian amphibious transport dock Kalaat Béni Abbès;
- 4 Doha-class corvettes (3,250 tons) with a helicopter deck and hangar. Weapons: 1 Oto Melara 76 mm, two 30 mm guns, 16-cell VLS for Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles, 8 Exocet MM40 Block III anti-ship missiles, and a RAM launcher with 21 RIM-116 short range rolling airframe missiles.[15] First keel laid by Fincantieri in November 2018.[16]
- 2 offshore patrol boats (670 tons). Weapons: 1 Oto Melara 76 mm, 2 30 mm guns, 8-cell VLS for VL MICA short range surface-to-air missiles and 4 Exocet MM40 Block III anti-ship missiles.[17]
The deal has a worth of €4.9 billion.[18]
On 19 December 2017, the Qatari Navy was said to be going ahead with plans to reinforce its underwater capabilities including the possibility of acquiring light submarines.[19]
The Qatar Emiri Naval Forces ordered two cadet training ships (CTS) from Turkish shipbuilder Anadolu Shipyard. According to Anadolu Shipyard, the vessels will displace 1,950 tonnes and feature a helipad for a medium-size helicopter. The vessels are also set to be capable of performing offshore patrol duties.[20]
In February 2020, Qatar had a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Italian defense company Fincantieri, to acquire submarines and aircraft carriers,[21] based on a 5-billion-euro deal signed in 2017.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ Qarjouli, Asmahan (26 April 2023). "Qatar second top military spender in Gulf region". Doha News. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ "Chief of naval staff meets Qatari counterpart in Doha". Pakistan Today. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF)". Global Security. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ "Fincantieri unveils Qatari Navy corvette design". NavyRecognition.com. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (2020-09-18). "Fincantieri Launches First Offshore Patrol Vessel for Qatari Emiri Navy". Naval News. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ "Ares 150 Hercules". Ares Shipyard. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ "沧 浪 客 军 事 园". www.clk-mil.com. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ "Barzan (Vita) Class". DefenceJournal.com. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ "Yonca-Onuk JV delivers first ONUK MRTP 34 patrol boat to Qatar Navy". NavyRecognition.com. January 2014. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ "First Photos Of The Interceptor Craft Built For The Qatar Navy". TurkishNavy.net. 2012-09-23. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (28 December 2020). "Anadolu Shipyard Launched Second Training Ship For Qatar". Naval News.
- ^ "News - Doha international Maritime Defence Exhibition And Conference". Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ "Qatar Coast Guard Services orders 17 new fast patrol boats from ARES Shipyard at DIMDEX 2014". NavyRecognition.com. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ "NDSQ Signs Two MoU's Worth A Total Of QAR 3.1bn With Qatar Armed Forces". Damen Shipyards Sharjah (FZE). 31 March 2014. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
- ^ Vavasseur, Xavier, ed. (12 March 2018). "DIMDEX 2018: Fincantieri Unveils Qatari Navy Air Defense Corvette Design". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ "Fincantieri lays keel for first Qatari Navy Doha-class corvette". Naval Today. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
- ^ Vavasseur, Xavier, ed. (13 March 2018). "DIMDEX 2018: Fincantieri Unveils Qatari Navy OPV Design". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ "UPDATE 2 - Italy's Fincantieri signs 4 bln Euro deal to build ships for Qatar". Reuters. 16 June 2017.
- ^ "Qatar Navy plans to buy light submarines". Tactical Report. December 19, 2017.
- ^ "Qatar Naval Forces order two cadet training ships from Turkey's Anadolu Shipyard". Naval Today. March 16, 2018.
- ^ "Qatar To Acquire Submarines In New Twist In Gulf States' Big Naval Expansion". Forbes. 4 February 2020.
- ^ "Qatar seals 5-billion-euro navy vessels deal with Italy". Reuters. 2 August 2017.
External links
[edit]- Rank insignia of the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces (in Russian)
