Turkish defense industry makes new exports to Gulf

By Goksel Yildirim

DOHA (AA) – The Turkish defense industry recently exported two high-speed assault boats to Qatar, with three more in production, showing the country's continued defense export success in the Gulf countries.

The high-speed assault boats, known as “fast attack craft” by Turkish shipyard Dearsan, can be used for different missions such as asymmetric warfare, patrolling, protecting regional waters, combating maritime piracy, search and rescue missions, disaster relief operations, and more.

The 50-meter-long vessels are used for border control, port and base security, and are outfitted with three water jets and various weapons systems for surface, air, and asymmetric conflicts.

- ⁠Indigenous weapons, sensor systems

Erkan Yeniceri, Dearsan’s business development manager, told Anadolu that the company has finalized the business development process with the Qatari Emiri Navy, which was ongoing for about six years.

Except for the two units, Yeniceri said the total number of vessels to be sent to Qatar will be five once three more with various configurations are added.

He said the Qatari Emiri Navy will increase its capabilities thanks to these vessels.

Yeniceri highlighted that almost all of the weapons and sensor systems on the vessels will be provided by Turkish companies.

“We will install Aselsan-made sensors, weapons, and Roketsan’s missile systems on these vessels, marking it a breakthrough for the Turkish defense industry’s presence in Qatar.

“In the vessels, Italy-based Leonardo’s 40-mm cannon will be used as the main cannon, Roketsan’s ‘Cakir’ missile will be used against surface threats, Roketsan's ‘Sungur’ will be used against air targets, whereas Aselsan’s 3-D search radar ‘MAR-D,’ and ‘Ahtapot’ electro-optical detector will be used as the main weapon,” he said.

He also mentioned that the ship has two stabilized 12.7-millimeter machine guns, as well as chaff and decoy systems.

Yeniceri said the vessels' hulls are made of steel and the superstructures are made of aluminum alloy, to allow these sea vehicles to travel at speeds greater than 36 knots (66 kilometers per hour).

“We will be providing the Qatari Emiri Navy with two very modern and very important platforms in fast patrol boats, almost all of whose sensors and weapons are products of the Turkish defense industry,” he added.

The construction process is still in the preliminary design phase, with plans to cut the first sheet of metal in eight months, Yeniceri said.

He noted that the company planned to deliver the first vessel in the 39th month and the second vessel in the 42nd month of production.

The export contract was signed by Dearsan’s chairman Aziz Yildirim and Qatari Emiri Navy Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al Sulaiti, in the presence of Haluk Gorgun, president of the Defense Industry Agency of Türkiye.

The Qatari Emiri Navy is currently actively using vessels built by Turkish shipyards.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul