TURKISH DEFENSE INDUSTRY PROMINENT AT DIMDEX 2022
The size and scope of DIMDEX has grown significantly since the inaugural event in 2008. Since the exhibition area has been expanded the 7th edition of DIMDEX was held on an area of 35,000 square meters (including 7 indoor exhibiting halls; Hall 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8 and 9), which provided exhibitors ample space to showcase the latest technological innovations and to network with top military officials and other key decision makers from Qatar as well as other countries. As a biennial, world-class exhibition for technology, maritime & defense industry capabilities, it is recognized as the industry’s must-attend event. The show attracted participation from Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Pakistan Turkey and the UK with their own pavilions, while Croatia, South Korea, Jordan and Iran made their appearance with country pavilions for the first time. Among these 14 international pavilions the largest one belonged to Turkey (with 33 companies), followed by the USA (14) and France (11). According to the DIMDEX Organizing Committee the exhibition also attracted as many as 90 VIP delegations and around 200 international and domestic exhibitors (in the Show Guide the list of exhibitors from A to Z contains only 154 companies) from 19 countries (Australia, Belgium, China, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey, UAE, UK and the USA) that showcased the latest in military equipment, besides introducing new concepts and breakthrough ideas that will shape the future of the global defense and security industry. DIMDEX 2022 was visited by more than 20,000 professional and trade visitors during its three days.
DIMDEX has a proven track record of delivering high-level business-to-government, government-to-government, and business-to-business commercial opportunities. At DIMDEX 2022 a total of 32 contracts, agreements, memorandums of understanding (MoU) and letters of intent (LoI) were signed but the total value of the awarded contracts was not disclosed. Raytheon, BAE Systems, Thales, Rheinmetall, ASELSAN, YONCA-ONUK JV and NUROL MAKİNA are some of the big names that entered some sort of agreement with Qatari entities during DIMDEX 2022. ASELSAN disclosed on Twitter on March 22 that it already signed two sales deals worth US$36.6 million in total with undisclosed international clients during DIMDEX 2022. At DIMDEX 2018, Turkish companies received an order of approximately US$800 million from the Qatar State.
During the three-day event high-level meetings were also held between Qatari Government officials and officers, and foreign diplomats or company executives. Major industry players also unveiled new (on March 21 HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-THANI, the Amir of the State of Qatar, unveiled the two full-size replicas of UK military developer Aeralis’s innovative modular jet, each measuring 11.3 meters in length and with a wingspan of 10 meters and one of them was in the Advanced Jet Trainer configuration and decorated with Qatari Emiri Air Force livery), maritime-relevant defense systems, but this year’s focus fell on Turkish-made unmanned surface vessels (USVs) from DEARSAN (SALVO), METEKSAN SAVUNMA/ARES Shipyards (ULAQ) and ASELSAN/SEFİNE Shipyards (Constellation Class NB57 (ASW variant) & RD09 (ASuW variant) Autonomous and Swarm Capable USVs).
DIMDEX 2022 also provided a golden opportunity for Qatar’s domestic defense and security sector to showcase its growing capabilities and to establish or strengthen ties with major global players. As pointed out by Chairman of the Organizing Committee of DIMDEX Staff Brigadier (Navy) Abdulbaqi S. Al-ANSARI, partnership with global players is at the heart of Qatar’s plans for the local defense industry. “I am confident that with DIMDEX 2022, we will be able to achieve our primary objective of further enhancing Qatar’s military strength and fortifying its defense infrastructure” AL-ANSARI said.
DIMDEX is a dynamic platform attended by key decision makers and industry leaders in the maritime defense and security industry and over the years the event has become one the leading global events for the maritime security and defense industry. It provides the opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their latest, state-of-the-art technologies and products to high-quality industry personnel to initiate significant deals and partnerships. Since the show first set sail in 2008, DIMDEX has hosted more than 380 visiting official delegations, 80 participating warships and almost 50,000 professional and trade visitors, generating over US$32 Billion in direct deals and billions more in related commerce. During the 6th edition held in March 2018, 35 partnerships were announced, with 27 agreements signed at the event itself. More than 13,000 visitors, including 180 exhibitors and participants from 69 countries attended DIMDEX 2018.
The 7th edition of the DIMDEX Exhibition was originally scheduled to be held during March 16-18, 2020, in Doha, however on March 3rd, the organizing committee announced that, after consulting with public health officials and the Government of the State of Qatar regarding the status of the event, the decision was made to cancel the event due to the spreading of the COVID-19 Corona virus. Since DIMDEX 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19, there was a full 48-month gap between the 2018 and 2022 editions.
The 8th edition of DIMDEX is set to take place from March 4-6, 2024, and according to the Organizing Committee as of March 24, 2022, seven international companies have signed contracts to participate in DIMDEX 2024.
Chairman of the Organizing Committee of DIMDEX Staff Brigadier (Navy) Abdulbaqi S. Al-ANSARI pointed out that the good turnout and the great praise from exhibitors and visitors reflects the success of the exhibition and its progression one edition after the other. He highlighted that the exhibition had more than 20,000 visitors during the three days. Chairman of DIMDEX Al-ANSARI said: “Events such as DIMDEX are of crucial importance for regional peace as well as global security as they facilitate military cooperation, collaborative partnerships in the defense and security sector, as well as knowledge exchange at the highest levels between industry and government. The major deals and MoUs announced during the past three days, while proving yet again that DIMDEX is without parallel when it comes to facilitating commercial success for exhibitors, also point to the global trend of increased military spending. Through DIMDEX 2022, we have been able to fulfill our objectives of strengthening Qatar’s position as a vibrant business hub, in line with the development objectives set out in the Qatar National Vision 2030, and further fortifying our national security infrastructure.” As DIMDEX 2022 drew to a close, Chairman of the Organizing Committee Staff Brigadier (Navy) Al-ANSARI visited exhibitors, presented them with trophies, and invited them to the eighth edition of the event.
MENC and Visiting Warships Displayed at Hamad Port
Whilst DIMDEX 2022 acted as a dynamic platform bringing together renowned figures from the maritime defense and security community, it also featured various key events in addition to the main exhibition including the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference (MENC), and the popular Visiting Warship Display at Hamad Port.
MENC took place on the second day of DIMDEX, on March 22, and provided key decision-makers, military leaders and academia the opportunity to engage in information exchange and discuss the latest trends and innovative solutions in the field of maritime security and defense. Organized under the theme of “Resilience in the Maritime Domain – Confronting Asymmetric Threats” MENC explored the impact of asymmetric threats on the security complex of the Gulf and its abutting states. Panel discussions were held regarding unconventional challenges in the region’s maritime domain and means of increasing overall resilience. The day-long conference was held in two sessions at which renowned naval defense commanders, global security experts, thought leaders and academics discussed the biggest challenge to the maritime domain – asymmetric threats. Followed by a sizable and knowledgeable audience that included top-level officials and key decision makers from around the world, including Ministers, Chiefs of Navies, Fleet Commanders, as well as other Senior Navy and Maritime Defense officials, the conference was formally inaugurated by Staff Major General (Navy) Abdulla bin Hassan Al-SULAITI, Commander of the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces, and Dr. Andreas KRIEG, MENC Conference Director. Vice Admiral Charles COOPER, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet, Staff Brigadier (pilot) Fahad Al-SULAIFI of the Qatar Armed Forces Strategic Studies Center, Vice Admiral Ajendra SINGH, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy, Admiral Jacques FAYARD, Joint Commander of the French Forces in the Indian Ocean, Rear Admiral Takeshi YOSHIOKA, Director General, C4I Department, Maritime Staff Office of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) were among the speakers.
The three-day event also welcomed warships from international navies to Hamad Port where the high-tech vessels showcased their cutting-edge systems on board. The display of the visiting warships of international navies at Hamad Port provided exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to explore modern warships and meet with specialized crew members. Over the years, DIMDEX has welcomed more than 80 international warships and navies to dock at Qatar’s leading seaports. The 2022 edition of DIMDEX once again brought together warships from around the world at Hamad Port. According to the DIMDEX Organizing Committee the 7th edition had more warships than any previous editions. The DIMDEX 2022 Visiting Warships Display at Hamad Port, featured 11 international vessels from 10 countries. The warships included the Qatari Emiri Navy’s Cadet Training Ship Al Doha (QTS 91, constructed at ANADOLU Shipyard in Turkey and commissioned in August 2021, this was her maiden show appearance), HMS Middleton, a Hunt Class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy, Italian Navy frigate ITS Carlo Bergamini, INS Kolkota, an Indian Navy stealth guided-missile destroyer, BNS Prottasha, a Type 056 stealth surface warfare guided missile corvette of the Bangladesh Navy, Algeria’s El-Moudamir, an El Radii Class Frigate, HMS Hitteen, the Badr Class Corvette of the Royal Saudi Navy, and the Al Mubshir Class high speed support vessel Al Nassir of the Royal Navy of Oman. Three of the Pakistan Navy’s vessels – PNS Shamsheer, a Zulfiquar Class Frigate, PNS Azmat, an Azmat Class Missile Boat, and PMSS Kolachi, a Kashmir Class Patrol Vessel, and IRIS Shahid Naziri operated by the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran – were also part of the event.
Opening Ceremony
The 7th edition of the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference, DIMDEX 2022 was kicked-off in Doha on March 21, 2022, with a ceremony conducted under the patronage of HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-THANI, the Amir of the State of Qatar. The opening ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-THANI, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs of the State of Qatar HE Khalid bin Mohammad Al-ATTIYAH, Ministers and prominent members of the society as well as defense ministers and military heads of brotherly and friendly countries including President of Defense Industries (SSB), İsmail DEMİR and Turkey’s Ambassador to Doha/Qatar, Mustafa GÖKSU. The ceremony began with verses from the Holy Quran, and then the national anthem was played.
The ceremony included a documentary film about the Qatari Armed Forces, followed by a speech by Commander of the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces Staff Maj. Gen. (Navy) Abdullah Hassan Al-SULAITI. After that, Amir of the State of Qatar toured the exhibition where he was briefed on the latest technologies, innovations and systems related to maritime defense. HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-THANI was also briefed on the various modern equipment and vessels equipped with defense and communication systems and radars and other marine industries and services displayed by local, regional and international companies.
Turkey’s Participation
Emerging as a new arms exporter that can provide more efficient, low cost, combat proven, and less problematic products for arms buyers, Turkey has managed to quadruple its defense and aerospace exports in the last 10 years and is currently exporting 228 different types of defense industry products to 170 countries around the world.
According to the January 2022 export figures released by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) in February, the Turkish Defense & Aerospace Industry increased its defense exports to the African continent by 12,070.1%, from US$943.9 thousand to around US$114.776 million. With this record increase Africa ranked 1st in terms of both proportional and value increase in Turkey’s defense exports and Middle East countries ranked 5th in terms of proportional increase with 116% in January 2022. According to data released by TIM, in January 2022 with US$18.331 million (this represents a 2,035.4% increase compared to January 2021 and is believed to stem from wheeled armored vehicles, 2 OPV Class 2,150-ton Cadet Training Ships, LCT, LCVP, 2 LCM40s and 4 fast intervention boats sales/deliveries to the Qatar Armed Forces) Qatar ranked 5th on the list of the top 15 countries that imported defense and aerospace products from Turkey in January 2022.
According to TIM, during Q1 2022 the Turkish Defence & Aerospace Industry increased its defense exports to the African continent by 652.1%, from around US$28,328 million to US$213,056 million. With this increase Africa ranked 3rd in terms of proportional increases, after Far East Countries (1,065.9%) and Other Asian Countries (766.4%) and ranked 1st in terms of value increase in Turkey’s Q1 2022 defense exports. According to TIM’s figures Q1 2022 Turkish Defence & Aerospace Industry exports to countries in the Middle East reached US$61.279 million.
In order to create awareness in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region of the Turkish Defense & Aerospace Industry capabilities, the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) has been supporting national participation to defense exhibitions in the MENA region. In this context, Turkey participates in important defense and aerospace exhibitions organized in the MENA region such as IDEX/NAVDEX (UAE), DIMDEX (Qatar), SOFEX (Jordan), the Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS) and Africa Aerospace & Defense (AAD, South Africa) and key players from the Turkish defense sector are brought together in a national pavilion.
DIMDEX Exhibitions have been playing a small but significant role in bringing two trusted partners, Turkey and Qatar, even closer to enhance mutual cooperation and dialogue. The symbolic partnership between Turkey and Qatar goes far beyond commercial deals. As a key regional partner Turkey has played a significant role in the enhancement of Qatar’s defense capabilities.
Turkey has been participating in DIMDEX Exhibitions since 2008, offering great export opportunities for Turkish defense industry products. However, with the support and coordination of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), the first participation at the “national level” was made in 2010. While 33 Turkish Defense & Aerospace companies attended IDEX 2018 (with a 2,413sqm National Pavilion), 24 companies in 2016 (with a 1,295sqm National Pavilion), 26 companies in 2014 (with a 1,159sqm National Pavilion), 17 companies in 2012 and 19 companies participated in DIMDEX 2010.
Eager to establish greater partnership with the State of Qatar towards sharing its advanced military technology Turkey attended the DIMDEX 2022 Exhibition at the national level (with the national pavilion in Hall 5) with a total of 34 defense and aerospace sector companies pursuing exports in the Middle East and Gulf Region under the auspices of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and the support of the Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters’ Association (SSI). DEFENCE TURKEY Magazine also attended DIMDEX 2022 with a stand as one of the media sponsors of the event. Some sector companies such as TEI, YALTES and KoçSavunma have preferred to attend DIMDEX 2022 by sending their authorized personnel without setting up a booth. Among the Turkish companies, TUSAŞ made the biggest contribution with its 740m2 stand at the exhibition. A total of 25 Turkish companies including ARES Shipyard, ARMELSAN, Military Factory and Shipyard Management (ASFAT), BİTES, DEARSAN Shipyard, Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters’ Association (SSI), DESAN Shipyard, DORÇE, ELEKTROLAND, FORA GROUP SAVUNMA, HAVELSAN, HOYTEK, İŞBİR, MENSAN, METEKSAN SAVUNMA, MKE, NUROL MAKİNA, ÖZTEK TEKSTİL, SSB, ROKETSAN, SAHA İSTANBUL Defense & Aerospace Cluster, SDT, SİMSOFT, TİTRA and YONCA-ONUK JV set up their stands at the Turkish Pavilion in Exhibition Hall 5. ANADOLU Shipyard, TAIS and DEFENCE TURKEY Magazine set up their stands in Exhibition Hall 3, ASELSAN and TUSAŞ set up their stands in Hall 6, ESETRON and REPKON set up their stands in Hall 4 and lastly BMC set up its stand in Hall 8.
During the first day of exhibition, which spanned three days, President of Defense Industries İsmail DEMİR, with an accompanying delegation, visited company booths at DIMDEX 2022 and were given information on their activities in Qatar and their products displayed at the stands. Turkish Pavilion and Turkish company stands, were also visited by the Qatari delegation led by HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-THANI, the Amir of the State of Qatar, and HE Khalid bin Mohammad Al-ATTIYAH, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs of the State of Qatar. Turkish companies also welcomed at their booths various delegations from several countries including Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.
The Turkish Defense and Aerospace Industry’s strong and considerable presence at DIMDEX 2022 clearly highlights the close defense ties between the two countries. Some Turkish companies revealed scale models and mock-ups of their naval solutions for the first time (such as ARMELSAN’s new version of ORKUN-2053 Dipping Sonar, DEARSAN’s brand new Fast Attack Craft (FAC) FAC-46, F142 Frigate and USV-11 (ASuW) and USV-15 (ISR) variants of the SALVO USV, STM’s Multi-Purpose Attack Craft [MPAC], and METEKSAN SAVUNMA’s ULAQ PSV [Port Security Variant] and ULAQ ASW [anti-submarine warfare] variants as well as their new Mobile Coastal Control Station based on 6x6 tactical vehicle) during DIMDEX 2022, a sign of how Turkish firms view the Qatari market.
However, contrary to the previous edition (DIMDEX 2018), at DIMDEX 2022 the level of the Turkish Delegation was quite low. While Turkey was represented by the then Minister of National Defense (MoND) Nurettin CANİKLİ, Chief of Turkish General Staff General Hulusi AKAR (appointed as Minister of National Defense on July 9, 2018), Turkish Naval Forces Commander Admiral Adnan ÖZBAL and President of Defense Industries (SSB) İsmail DEMİR during DIMDEX 2018, this year Turkey and the SSB were represented by Turkey’s Ambassador to Doha/Qatar Mustafa GÖKSU, President of Defense Industries İsmail DEMİR, Deputy Commander of the Turkish Coast Guard Command Rear Admiral (LH) Cengiz FİTÖZ and Celal Sami TÜFEKÇİ, Vice President of Defense Industries and Chairman of HAVELSAN Board of Directors.
Speaking at a Briefing during DIMDEX 2022 İsmail DEMİR, President of Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries, said that considering the close relations between Turkey and the State of Qatar, it was imperative for Turkey to have a strong presence at the biennial DIMDEX Exhibition. DEMİR underlined that Turkish companies have dominated the Exhibition with their presence. “Many Turkish companies operating in all areas of the defense industry participated in the event. They are displaying very effective and powerful products, which have been tested and proved effective. Turkey is one of the countries that put its marks on the fair with the wide range of products it offers. We believe that particularly all the unmanned systems will become a game-changer,” DEMİR said. He stated that it was Turkey’s intention to strengthen its defense relations with Qatar including greater technological collaboration. “We would like to share our experience and our advanced technology capability with countries we have close relations with, such as Qatar,” DEMİR said. Turkey has made several sales of defense equipment to Qatar so far and has also offered its know-how and capabilities to meet Qatar’s other security requirements.
Contracts, Agreements, MoUs & LoIs Signed with Turkish Companies
During DIMDEX 2022 ASELSAN, the flagship of the Turkish Defense and Aerospace Sector, signed a contract and four Letters of Intent (LoIs) with Barzan Holdings, which forms the backbone of Qatar’s efforts to develop its domestic defense and security industry and is also playing a major role in facilitating the growth of defense ties between Qatar and Turkey. ASELSAN disclosed on Twitter on March 22 that the total value of two sales deals signed during DIMDEX 2022 with undisclosed international clients worth US$36.6 million. In the statement made by ASELSAN on the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) on March 22, it was stated that the total value of the foreign sale contract signed for the export of spare parts, test infrastructure, training and support services of defense systems is US$32,550 million, and it was noted that the deliveries will be performed in batches and to be completed in 18 months.
On the second day of DIMDEX 2022 ASELSAN signed a contract and a LoI with Barzan Holdings subsidiary Barzan Maintenance Shield (BMS). Within the scope of the contract ASELSAN will sell communication systems to Qatar and BMS will provide spare parts, training and technical support for maintenance and repair activities of ASELSAN systems fitted onto the fighting and armored vehicle that are currently in service with the Qatar Armed Forces. BMS will also support naval systems currently in use with Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior. The LoIs also envision further collaboration between the companies, to facilitate potential future procurement of ASELSAN solutions and services. With a ‘local to business’ approach, ASELSAN plans to further reinforce and enhance its partnerships with Qatar’s local industry. In this context, the company is set to transfer knowledge technology for waveform development for software-defined radios (SDR) to the Qatar Armed Forces.
“Qatar focuses to invest in highly advanced systems, which creates a competitive arena for the leading defense and security brands who compete on providing excellence. We as ASELSAN, being a well trusted defense and technology company, are excited for the new opportunities together with our valued partner Barzan Holdings to strengthen Qatar in this challenging sector,” commented Haluk GÖRGÜN, ASELSAN Chairman, President and CEO.
ASELSAN has previously exported its SDR technology to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Jordan and Ukraine. The company signed a contract in 2014 with the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) organization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for the local development of an indigenous waveform for the SDR. Thanks to technology transfer from ASELSAN, the KSA-unique new waveform was developed and tested successfully on an ASELSAN-built software defined radio. Following this success, for the local production of ASELSAN’s VHF/UHF software-defined radio sets in KSA, a new company, Military Industries Corporation SDR and production facilities (with 5,000m2 closed area) were established in Riyadh in 2015.
As part of its efforts to grow even further in Qatar ASELSAN has established a regional maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center ‘ASELSAN QSTP-B,’ in Doha, Qatar in January 2021. Dedicated to carrying out maintenance, repair overhaul, training and technical operations and 100% owned by ASELSAN, the new branch ASELSAN QSTP-B will support company’s increasing activities in Qatar. “We are honored to work hand in hand with our valued partner BMS to extend our support and commitment to our valued clients in Qatar through our MRO center ASELSAN QSTP-B” said GÖRGÜN.
During DIMDEX 2018 in March 2018 ASELSAN and Qatar’s Barzan Holdings signed a MoU to establish a joint venture company named BARQ (Lightning) in Qatar for the production of some defense industry products including remote controlled stabilized weapon systems and electro-optic systems for reconnaissance and surveillance, through technology transfer for the Qatar Armed Forces. According to ASELSAN, the company titled ‘BARQ QSTP LLC’ was established in order to operate with command and control systems, thermal and night vision cameras, crypto and remote-controlled weapon systems. 51% of BARQ belongs to Barzan Holdings, 48% belongs to ASELSAN and 1% belongs to SSTEK A.Ş. The company's establishment was registered on October 3, 2018.
On the second day of DIMDEX 2022 (March 22) BMS also signed a ceremonial agreement with NUROL MAKİNA, a global 4x4 armored vehicles designer, manufacturer and also a technology integrator company to celebrate the conclusion of their negotiations regarding the provision of various services like training and maintenance for EJDER YALÇIN vehicles. This agreement acknowledges the conclusion of negotiations of a maintenance and repair support contract that will provide but isn’t limited to, technical and engineering services, logistic support, and training. These services will be provided to various end users of the EJDER YALÇIN (AGAMA) 4x4 wheeled armored vehicles in Qatar including the Qatar Armed Forces, Amiri Guard, and Border Corps. The aim of both parties is to finalize this contract in the near future.
A preliminary contract was previously signed between NUROL MAKİNA and Ministry of Defense of Qatar (Barzan Holdings) during DIMDEX 2018, for the supply of over 300 EJDER YALÇIN vehicles with the SARP-DUAL Remote-Controlled Stabilized Weapon Station (RCWS) and over 200 YÖRÜK (NMS) 4×4 vehicles with the IGLA Missile Launching System and SERDAR ATGM Launching System (able to launch both Russian Kornet-E and the Ukrainian Skiff ATGMs) Launchers. In late 2020 the Ministry of Defense of Qatar disclosed on its official Twitter account that Barzan Holdings signed a contract with NUROL MAKINA for the procurement of “Joint Special Force Vehicles” for the Qatar Armed Forces. No further information was given about the sales amount, and the number of vehicles under the contract except for that the deliveries would take place in two batches. It was announced that the first batch would be delivered in 2021 and the second batch in 2022.
Within the scope of DIMDEX 2022 on March 22, Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) signed a MoU with Qatar University (College of Engineering/QU-CENG) to establish collaboration in the fields of research, consultancy, and knowledge transfer. Inked by President and CEO of TUSAŞ Dr. Temel KOTİL and Qatar University (QU) President Dr. Hassan Rashid Al-DERHAM in the presence of officials from both institutions the MoU aims to establish collaboration between QU and TUSAŞ in the fields of academics, research, and student training and support, as well as the exchange of information and consultancy. In the terms of the MoU, QU-CENG will provide TUSAŞ in different venues. QU-CENG Faculty will also collaborate with TUSAŞ in projects by ensuring knowledge transfer and progressive development of existing projects including Turkey’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter (MMU/TF-X) Program. Commenting on the MoU, TUSAŞ President and CEO KOTİL said: “We are proud to sign a MoU with the College of Engineering at Qatar University in order to complement the efforts made by the education and industry sectors as a part of the integration between the academic and industrial sectors.” “Our partnership will be reflected on both parties through joint activities and programs, support for students and graduates, and we will endeavor to support education and capacity building,” he added. The agreement will allow recruiting more engineers from Qatar to TUSAŞ, where they would help the company to develop technology and, notably, work on Turkey’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter efforts, according to a press release.
Defense Cooperation Between Turkey and Qatar
The State of Qatar is a peninsula located amid the western coast of the Arabian Gulf. The peninsula is approximately 100 km across and extends 200 km into the Gulf. As a small peninsular state, Qatar’s defense policy is mostly focused on self-defense and in order to achieve this strategy during last decade the State of Qatar has used its vast oil wealth to improve its military capabilities and equip its Armed Forces with state-of-the art weapon and platform systems.
In early June 2017 the Gulf Crisis broke out when a handful of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia (the de facto leader of the GCC) abruptly severed diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar and imposed a blockade on the State of Qatar. In response to threats from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt, Qatar launched a massive multi-billion dollar military power buildup.
During the Gulf Crisis, the State of Qatar purchased three different types of fighters, including 36 x US-made F-15QAs, 36 x French-made Rafale fighters (under the agreement signed in May 2015 Qatar has ordered 24 Rafales and with a follow-on order agreement awarded in December 2017 valued at US$1.3 billion dollars, the country exercised the option for the purchase of 12 additional Rafales thus the total number of Rafales has been increased to 36, Qatar also has an option to buy 36 more) and 24 Eurofighter Typhoons as well as 4 Doha Class air defense corvettes, 2 OPV/FACM type ships, 1 air defense LPD and 2 cadet training ships).
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in 2021 Qatar’s military spending was US$11.6 billion, making it the 5th largest spender in the Middle East. And Qatar's military spending in 2021 was 434% higher than in 2010, the last time such data was released by the Gulf state. According to SIPRI’s report on arms sales Qatar’s arms imports experienced 361% increase from 2016 to 2020. This sharp increase in arms trade was likely linked to the 2017 Gulf Crisis.
During the 41st summit meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held on January 5, 2021, in the Saudi city of al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt decided to lift their blockade on Qatar and to restore diplomatic relations with the country. As an indicator of improving relations between the two countries Chief of General Staff of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces Lieutenant-General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-RUWAILI, accompanied by Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Lieutenant General Fahd bin Abdullah Al-GHUFAILI, and a number of Senior Defense Ministry Officers attended the opening ceremony of DIMDEX 2022 in March 2022. However, it is claimed that tensions still run deep between the states involved in the GCC crisis. So even though the blockade on Qatar is lifted, experts do not expect any dramatic changes or any negative impact on bilateral relations between Turkey and Qatar and Doha at least in the short term. Thus, the end of 2017 Gulf Crisis could not be interpreted as a signal for the end of Turkey-Qatar relations.
Though the history of bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkey go back to 1972, it is a fact that their relations have gained significant momentum especially after the Gulf Crisis, during which Turkey stood firmly with the State of Qatar. It is a fact that since the break out of the Gulf Crisis in June 2017, Turkey-Qatar relations have advanced from the cooperation stage to a deep strategic partnership. Apart from close political and personal ties between Qatari and Turkish leadership, the defense sector has been one of the key areas to bolster cooperation and partnership between these two brotherly countries. Over the past two decades, Turkey and Qatar have penned several military-training and arms-sales agreements.
Defense Cooperation between Turkey and Qatar has notably intensified especially after the Gulf Crisis broke out in June 2017. One of the 13 demands that were presented by Saudi-led Arab states to Qatar on June 22, 2017, was the calling for the immediate closure of Turkey’s permanent military base in Qatar and the termination of military cooperation with Turkey inside Qatar.
Turkey’s military involvement in Doha dates back to December 2014 when Head of the State of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-THANI paid an official visit to Turkey. During the visit on December 19, 2014, the two countries signed a comprehensive military cooperation agreement that allows the deployment of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) in the State of Qatar and agreed to set up a bilateral cooperation and consultation group called the Turkey-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee, headed by the Qatari Emir and Turkish President.
Since then, the Committee has convened 7 times – in December 2015 (Doha), December 2016 (Trabzon), November 2017 (Doha), November 2018 (Istanbul), November 2019 (Doha), November 2020 (Ankara) and December 2021 (Doha) sometimes in Qatar and sometimes in Turkey – to sign framework agreements and memorandums of understanding in different spheres, including the military sphere, with the aim of deepening the collaboration and strengthening the ties between the countries. Within the framework of the Supreme Strategic Committee meetings, over 68 agreements and protocols have been signed between the two countries so far. President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN paid a two-day official visit to Doha, Qatar during December 6-7 to attend the 7th meeting of Supreme Strategic Committee. During ERDOĞAN’s official visit that came at the invitation of Head of the State of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-THANI, 15 bilateral agreements in various fields including culture, sports, health, media, and security were signed. The new agreements will further strengthen ties between Turkey and Qatar. Speaking ahead of President ERDOĞAN’s visit, Turkey’s Ambassador to Doha/Qatar, Mustafa GÖKSU said Qatari investments in Turkey have hit $33.2 billion, while Turkish investments in Qatar have reached US$32 billion. Turkish contractors have assumed projects worth US$18.6 billion in Qatar, but their earnings are bound to decline as Qatar completes construction projects for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Turkey will support Qatar to ensure the security of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In December 2021 Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman SOYLU announced that 3,000 personnel from Turkey’s riot police units will be dispatched to Qatar for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Minister SOYLU also said that Turkey had the capacity to increase the number from 3,000 and talks were ongoing. More than 500 Turkish companies are active in Qatar and with some US$33.2 billion in foreign direct investments in Turkey. Qatar is the second-largest single investor in the country.
Ahead of ERDOĞAN’s official visit, Turkish Minister of National Defense (MoND) Hulusi AKAR visited Doha on December 5, 2021 and met his Qatari counterpart Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al-ATTIYAH. During their meeting AKAR and ATTIYAH discussed bilateral and regional defense and security issues as well as defense industry cooperation and expressed the will to increase military training cooperation between the two countries. On December 5, MoND AKAR also paid a visit to the Qatar-Turkey Combined Joint Force Command, where he met with Turkish soldiers and inspected the preparations of the military base, ahead of the visit of the Turkish President. In his address at the Qatar-Turkey Combined Joint Force Command MoND AKAR said that the two countries have overcome difficult periods and will strive to further boost friendship. “The work we have done here in Qatar is not against third countries, but to rather protect our people’s rights (and) maximize our deterrence capabilities,” Minister AKAR said, adding that they hope to further increase this cooperation in the near future. AKAR also disclosed that the Turkish and Qatar Armed Forces would continue to carry out joint drills and maximize their experience and skills.
Under an agreement signed on December 19, 2014 Turkey set up its first permanent military base at Tariq bin Ziyad military barracks. The establishment of Turkey’s first permanent military base, which was named the ‘Qatar-Turkey Combined Joint Force Command’ in December 2017, in Doha at Tariq bin Ziyad military barracks was completed in April 2016. Construction of Turkey’s second permanent base near the Tariq bin Ziyad military barracks was completed in August 2019. The Qatar-Turkey Combined Joined Force Command’s new Headquarters was officially opened with a ceremony held on December 14, 2019 with the participation of Turkish Minister of National Defense (MoND) Hulusi AKAR, Chief of Turkish General Staff (TGS) General Yaşar GÜLER and Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al-ATTIYAH. The new base was named after Khalid bin Walid. The inauguration of the second Turkish permanent military base in Qatar further fortified the bilateral military and defense cooperation between the two nations. The new military base in Doha also reflects Turkey’s increasing involvement in the security of the State of Qatar and the Gulf region in general. Establishing permanent military bases in Qatar was Turkey’s way of shielding Doha from tensions with four Arab states that imposed an embargo against it for more than three years.
Meanwhile, the defense cooperation between Turkey and Qatar that was marked by Turkey’s military bases in Qatar has acquired a new dimension with the technical agreement signed on March 2, 2021 by Chief of Turkish General Staff (TGS) General Yaşar GÜLER, and Qatari Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. General Ghanim bin Shaheen Al-GHANIM. ‘The Technical Agreement Between the Government of Republic of Turkey & the Government of the State of Qatar on Temporary Deployment of Qatari Military Aircraft and Support Personnel in the Territory of the Republic of Turkey’ was ratified by the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) on March 17, 2022, signed/approved by President ERDOĞAN on March 31, 2022 and issued in the Official Gazette on April 1, 2022 would allow Qatar to deploy up to 36 warplanes (including F-15QA, Rafale and C-17 Globemaster III) and not more than 250 troops in Turkey, using Turkish airspace and bases for training flights. The Qatari Air Force transport aircraft can also be utilized for both domestic and international requirements of Turkey by transporting Turkish military equipment, material, dangerous goods, ammunition, personnel or humanitarian aid materials inside and outside of Turkey. The agreement will also allow Qatari Air Force pilots to gain experience in Turkish airspace for the next five years with the possibility of a one-year extension. In accordance with the technical agreement Qatar should inform Ankara 60 days ahead of its deployment to Turkey, and a Turkish Air Force (TurAF) pilot should be present as an observer in their training. The Qatari Air Force participated in the 15-day Anatolian Eagle 2021/2 Exercise held at the 3rd Main Jet Base Anatolian Eagle Training Center (AKEM/AETC) in Konya between June 21 and July 02, 2021 with 4 Rafale fighter jets
