Doha: Qatar Armed Forces and French Thales Group yesterday signed a contract for the execution of ground satellites project to provide infrastructure and communication equipment for satellites and broad capacity means of communications to enhance the armed forces’ command and control system.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of State for Defence Affairs
H E Major General Hamad bin Ali Al Attiyah, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Qatar Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General (Pilot) Ghanim bin Shaheen Al Ghanim.
The deal was signed by the Assistant Minister of State for Technical Affairs H E Brigadier Engineer Abdul Aziz bin Falah Al Dossari and Thales Vice- President Pascale Sourisse.
In a statement after the signing, Al Dossari thanked the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, also the Supreme Commander of Qatar Armed Forces, for support for the armed forces and Al Attiyah for support for technical projects to enhance Qatar Armed Forces’ command and control system.
Al Dossari said the signing ceremony at Ritz-Carlton Hotel comes as a culmination of procedures over 16 months and included tender, quotations and field examining of major equipment.
He said the project aims to provide infrastructure and satellite communications equipment, as well as top secret and high capacity equipment to help the armed forces’ command and control system, with means of communications anywhere. Communications via satellite provide a broad coverage area in which the service can be delivered, he added.
He said it will provide command and control centres, satellite communications stations for boats, military machineries and fixed sites, and includes training, transfer of technology, maintenance and guarantee.
Qatar’s launch of satellites through Es’hailSat and the armed forces’ ownership, operating and managing of the military aspect of Es’hailSat have promoted the use of communications via satellite as secure means of communications approved by the armed forces.
To a question on the selection of Thales to implement the project, Al Dossari said the company was chosen after international competition in which top companies in the field of satellite took part and field experiments continued for almost one year.
He said Thales has a high experience in the field and is considered one of the biggest defence companies, particularly in electronics and communications.
Sourisse said the signing of the contract is a great success for Thales and Qatar Armed Forces, adding the company is proud to have been awarded the responsibility which is a new sign of confidence Qatar Armed Forces are placing in Thales.
Cooperation between both sides have extended for over 30 years, he said, adding that Thales has a lot of experience in satellite ground segment solutions.
“We have the right competence to deliver this system to Qatar Armed Forces and the contract is a new opportunity to pursue this cooperation,” Sourisse said.
She said Thales has been delivering very sophisticated systems for the French armed forces and working with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).
QNA
