US weapons maker Raytheon Corp. will install 10 Patriot missile defense systems in Qatar under a $2.4 billion contract that it has been negotiating for several months.
According to the US Department of Defense, which announced the deal last night, work will be completed by April 30, 2019.
Once finished, Qatar will become the fourth Gulf country to have the missile defense system, which Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait already own.
The agreement with Raytheon is part of a larger $24 billion artillery purchase that the Gulf state committed to earlier this year as it works to build up its defenses.
They include contracts with more than 20 defense firms to purchase new tanks, helicopters, warships, missiles and artillery.
The Patriot systems, which sink incoming missiles, are also part of an $11 billion defense weapon deal made with the US in May that includes the purchase of 24 Apache helicopters and 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles.
For years, there has been speculation that Qatar is spending so heavily on defense to arm itself against Iran. But the nation’s ambassador to the US, Mohammed Jaham Al-Kuwari, said earlier this year that the purchases were not because of a specific country:
“As you know our region is going through a lot of instability. What we bought are weapons to defend Qatar,” he said.
Thoughts?
Meanwhile, teachers are being fired and education budgets are shrinking.
Perhaps they sucked at teaching and the education budget was grossly inflated in years past
Agree
In order to breed everready minions who act before they think they need to promote ignorance and apathy so dismantling the education system first is the best move towards progress.
Pretty pointless purchase except for political reasons. Terrorist groups don’t tend to launch missiles, (I’m discounting the pathetic attempts of Hamas) as they don’t have the capability and as of or iran….. Well as long as the U.S. base is here they cannot invade. If the US base was not here a few patriot mussels would be useless anyway as the Iranians would just land ground forces first and take Qatar in a matter of hours.
The US base isn’t everything we got.
No, but it is more militarily capable then the sum of everything else that you have.
Lol….
What does ‘militarily capable’ even mean
Western concept a bit like known unknowns. We can sell the answer to you but we need to be the sole provider for 25 years and get a 25% discount on your oil/gas.
I’m sorry i asked ._.
Don’t forget the new highly trained Qatari conscripts.
I guess formation land cruisers travelling at speed is pretty scary….
You’re jokes are getting stale
I think we need to be serious here, buying these toys is a gimmick and doesn’t signifcantly strengthen Qatar and I’m saying this as a person who likes Qatar. Take your two biggest enemies, Saudi and Iran. If the Americans weren’t here or you didn’t have guarantees from the Americans and Brits on your Independce they could invade qatar easily. Qatar’s 250k pop could’nt stop them and iran and Saudi if they thought they could get away with it would love to absorb Qatar into their countries and the gas wealth.
Okay we’ve heard exactly what not to do, What else do you suggest we do? Increase qatari population? Take in half of the population into the army? I mean right now everyone between the ages of 18-35 need to get the 3 month mandatory military training, That could buff up the population, But i honestly believe the process takes much longer and we certainly cannot defend ourselves against countries like Iran and possibly Saudi currently alone.
Hours? Lol I would say minutes.
200,000 people, half women, quarter minors and oldies..that leaves 75,000 men 75% of which are obese, wimpy or just unfit to go to war… so yeah unskilled,untrained 20,000 Qatris who’s solution to any problem is a gift or some money 🙂
Now if that does not scare other invaders, what would lol
Pew.. Pew pew… Pew pew pew pew
Let’s hope they do not end up importing also the personnel to manage these weapons. Eventually, in the case of a war, I am not sure you can rely on the loyalty of mercenaries. They would jump in the first plane back home 🙂
Yeah you can’t be more right man
It’s a good move as it creates jobs in the US.
And strengthen the defense of our beloved country Qatar 😀