:Qatari Emiri Navy

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/qatar-navy.htm |title=Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF) |website=Global Security |access-date=31 March 2017}}

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. The Qatar Navy includes its coast guard, marine police and coastal artillery.

The current fleet of the Qatari Emiri Navy is as follows:

• 4 Vosper patrol boats
  {{UK}}
  120 tons full load
• 6 Vosper 110 ft. class PCs
  {{UK}}
• 6 Damen Polycat 1,450 class PCs
• 2 Keith Nelson type 44 ft.class PCs
• 2 Fairey Marine Interceptor class PCs
  {{UK}}
• 4 MV-45 class PCs
• 25 Fairy Marine Spear class
  {{UK}}
• 5 P-1500 class PCs
• 4 DV-15 class PCs
• 3 Helmatic M-160 class PCs

• 11 fast interceptor boats {{Flag|Qatar}}

• 2 Halmatic (Vosper Thornycroft) Pilot craft
• 4 Rotrork craft

• 4 × Oto Melara 76 mm Compact-weapon system {{Flag|Italy}}
• MBDA Exocet MM40 Block-III (x 70)\ MM-40 (x 220)\ MM-38 SSMs {{FRA}}
• MBDA Mistral SAMs {{FRA}}
• 4 × Goalkeeper anti missile\aircraft gun {{Flag|Netherlands}}
• 4 × Stingeo ship sensor {{Flag|Netherlands}}
• 4 × Exocet coast defense batteries {{FRA}}
• 4 × MMR-3D Radar {{FRA}}

;Officer ranks

;Enlisted and NCO ranks

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.dimdex.com/en/press/news/qatar-corvette-and-patrol-vessel-programs-moving-again.aspx|title=News - Doha international Maritime Defence Exhibition And Conference|access-date=31 March 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023145549/http://www.dimdex.com/en/press/news/qatar-corvette-and-patrol-vessel-programs-moving-again.aspx|archive-date=23 October 2014}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1685 |title=Qatar Coast Guard Services orders 17 new fast patrol boats from ARES Shipyard at DIMDEX 2014 |date=26 March 2014 |website=NavyRecognition.com |access-date=31 March 2017}}

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 {{convert|50|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}-long axe-bow high-speed patrol vessels and one {{convert|52|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}-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.{{cite web |url=http://damensharjah.com/en/news/2014/03/qatar-armed-forces-sign-mou-for-qar-3_1bn |title=NDSQ Signs Two MoU's Worth A Total Of QAR 3.1bn With Qatar Armed Forces |date=31 March 2014 |website=Damen Shipyards Sharjah (FZE) |access-date=31 March 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023152234/http://damensharjah.com/en/news/2014/03/qatar-armed-forces-sign-mou-for-qar-3_1bn |archive-date=23 October 2014}}

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 {{ship|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.{{cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/naval-exhibitions/2018/dimdex-2018/6044-dimdex-2018-fincantieri-unveils-qatari-navy-air-defense-corvette-design.html |title=DIMDEX 2018: Fincantieri Unveils Qatari Navy Air Defense Corvette Design |editor-last=Vavasseur |editor-first=Xavier |date=12 March 2018 |work=Navy Recognition |access-date=14 March 2018}} First keel laid by Fincantieri in November 2018.{{cite web |url=https://navaltoday.com/2018/11/27/fincantieri-lays-keel-for-first-qatari-navy-doha-class-corvette/ |title=Fincantieri lays keel for first Qatari Navy Doha-class corvette |date=27 November 2018 |website=Naval Today |access-date=27 November 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127182820/https://navaltoday.com/2018/11/27/fincantieri-lays-keel-for-first-qatari-navy-doha-class-corvette/ |archive-date=27 November 2018}}
• 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/naval-exhibitions/2018/dimdex-2018/6048-dimdex-2018-fincantieri-unveils-qatari-navy-opv-design.html |title=DIMDEX 2018: Fincantieri Unveils Qatari Navy OPV Design |editor-last=Vavasseur |editor-first=Xavier |date=13 March 2018 |work=Navy Recognition |access-date=14 March 2018 }}

The deal has a worth of €4.9 billion.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/italy-qatar-fincantieri-idUSL8N1984VR |title=UPDATE 2 - Italy's Fincantieri signs 4 bln Euro deal to build ships for Qatar |date=16 June 2017 |website=Reuters}}

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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tacticalreport.com/news/article/14087-qatar-navy-plans-to-buy-light-submarines |title=Qatar Navy plans to buy light submarines |date=December 19, 2017 |website=Tactical Report}}

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.{{Cite web |url=https://navaltoday.com/2018/03/16/qatar-naval-forces-order-two-cadet-training-ships-from-turkeys-anadolu-shipyard/ |title=Qatar Naval Forces order two cadet training ships from Turkey's Anadolu Shipyard |date=March 16, 2018 |website=Naval Today}}

In February 2020, Qatar had a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Italian defense company Fincantieri, to acquire submarines and aircraft carriers,{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/02/04/qatars-massive-naval-expansion-to-include-submarines/#713b4a15322e |title=Qatar To Acquire Submarines In New Twist In Gulf States' Big Naval Expansion |website=Forbes |date=4 February 2020}} based on a 5-billion-euro deal signed in 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gulf-qatar-italy/qatar-seals-5-billion-euro-navy-vessels-deal-with-italy-idUSKBN1AI1VS |title=Qatar seals 5-billion-euro navy vessels deal with Italy |website=Reuters |date=2 August 2017}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://militpogony.do.am/index/voenno_morskie_sily_katara/0-254 Rank insignia of the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces] {{in lang|ru}}

{{Qatar topics}}

{{Asia topic|Navy of|title=Navies of Asia}}

Category:Military of Qatar

Qatar