Qatar buys Searchmaster radar for quasi-drones

Qatar has selected Thales to provide a radar for its optionally piloted vehicles aircraft.

Thales will deliver its Searchmaster radar for the aircraft, which is a hybrid capable of being operated as a UAV or flown as a manned aircraft. The craft is being developed by Qatar and Thales.

"This airborne radar, tailored to all platform types, meets the surveillance requirements of five mission types: ground surveillance, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance and tactical air support," a Thales news release said. "The Searchmaster radar features an AESA active electronic scanning antenna, based on qualified technologies developed for the nose-mounted radar of the Rafale combat aircraft."

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