Italian company Fincantieri has signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatari company Barzan Holdings to jointly develop a radar to combat short-range drones.

Here’s What We Know

The programme, called Omega360, is part of a broad strategic cooperation between the two countries. The deal is estimated to be worth €100 million, and the first units will be produced by the end of 2026.

This comes after a meeting in Rome between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, where they discussed a security and defence partnership.

In a joint statement, the two leaders said that they “continue discussions on the establishment of an Italian military logistics centre in Qatar and promote export coordination in the region”.

To explain, Omega360 is a short-range video surveillance system that provides 360-degree coverage with high accuracy. The system is able to classify and identify drone targets through their radio frequencies, detecting them over long distances, even when approaching from multiple directions.

The 40 Omega360 radars to be developed under this programme will serve as Qatar’s primary anti-drone system.

Source: Fincantieri