Qatari companies unveil new USVs as Iran skips 2026 DIMDEX naval expo
New on the Middle East Defense Digest: Drone boats, the Qatari defense industry and foreign ships make their mark in Doha.
CEO Q&A: Abu Dhabi Ship Building eyes large USVs and early vessel deliveries
David Massey sat down with Breaking Defense in DIMDEX in Qatar and explained how medium-sized USVs are already old hat.
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Turning R&D into reality to meet the challenges of the modern battlefield
Knowing when to build on commercial systems and when to develop something new can be the difference between parity and information dominance.
Barzan exec talks new business plan, unveils agreements and new platforms
“We're focused much more on what is made in Qatar, things that we've developed and produced here locally," Barzan Chief Commercial Officer Omar Al Qadi told Breaking Defense.
Qatari 747 to fly as Trump’s Air Force One this summer
The controversial aircraft donated by the Qatari government is set to transport the Commander-in-Chief after less than a year of modification work, according to the Air Force.
After external strikes and internal crisis, Iran skips Qatari defense show Dimdex
One analyst said it's no surprise Doha may not welcome Tehran, months after the Islamic Republic targeted a US military base in Qatar.
Qatari firm Performance Marine unveils Ghost 7 USV, aims for sea trials this year
USVs are proving popular items to show off at DIMDEX.
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Voyager is accelerating access to space
After manifesting 1,400 payloads aboard the ISS, Voyager is applying its mission management expertise to the next generation of space stations, ensuring uninterrupted mission readiness and success from the ground to space.
US launches air defense operations cell in Qatar with Gulf states
AFCENT commander Lt. Gen Derek France expected the new cell to strengthen integrated air and missile defenses throughout the region.
Middle East missiles, large contracts and space ambitions: 2025 review
There was no shortage of news in the Middle East in 2025.
Air Force buying two Lufthansa 747s for delayed Air Force One program
The service is spending $400 million on the pair of jumbo jets for training and spares.
Air Force expects first delivery of delayed Boeing Air Force One jets in ‘mid-2028’
The new date marks some progress for the beleaguered Air Force One program, whose challenges have cost Boeing billions of dollars.
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Data overload threatens decisionmakers as autonomy expands
Reducing cognitive overload on warfighters while improving “time to trust” for autonomous systems is a matter of design.
Why Qatar wants an air force facility inside the United States
Breaking Defense's Agnes Helou walks you through the latest headlines from the region in this month's edition of the Middle East Defense Digest.
Qatar’s new training facility is a ‘strategic move’ for both nations: Analysts
“The establishment of the new air base in the US is a strategic move that enhances Qatar's influence in the United States while simultaneously keeping potential political tensions with the US administration at bay, and strengthening personal ties with Trump,” one expert told Breaking Defense.
US had ‘no indications’ of surprise Israeli strike on Qatar: Official
Lt. Gen. Derek France said that the US was caught off guard by an Israeli strike on Qatar in part because sensing capabilities were focused on other targets like Iran, adding the Israeli attack “wasn’t something that we expected.”
Gulf states pledge increased missile defense cooperation after Israeli strike in Qatar
"The recent attacks have intensified debates on collective Gulf security, exposing critical air and missile defense gaps,” retired Kuwaiti air force Col. Zafer Al Ajami told Breaking Defense, adding that "political divisions may hinder a formal Arab-NATO."