Qatar plans a domestic defense hub as it weighs local production or investment options, Reuters reported, with SIPRI data showing the country ranked fourth among major-arms recipients in 2021–25.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani discussed the plans at the Global Security Forum in Doha on Oct. 19. Reuters reported that he referred to an unnamed regional partner alongside the United States, the United Kingdom and France while discussing ways to build local defense capability. The report gave no investment figure or production line.
Al-Thani also described a regional initiative focused on defenses against ballistic missiles, drones and cyberattacks. Reuters reported no further details about the initiative. He said the hub announcement would come soon but gave no date, Reuters reported.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said Qatar accounted for 6.4% of global imports of major arms in 2021–25. Its imports rose 106% from 2016–20 to 2021–25, and the United States supplied 48% of them in the latter period. The figures track deliveries of major arms, not total defense spending.
Separately, QatarEnergy said missile strikes in March damaged two liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains and a gas-to-liquids facility at Ras Laffan. The LNG trains had combined annual capacity of 12.8 million metric tons. QatarEnergy said the damage reduced LNG export capacity by about 17% and estimated potential annual revenue losses of about $20 billion. It said repairs to the LNG facilities could take three to five years.
