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US State Department OK’s $1.96bn Qatar MQ-9B Drone Deal
The United States has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Qatar, involving eight MQ-9B unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and associated equipment, valued at approximately $1.96 billion.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the State Department’s approval on March 26, 2025.
The proposed package includes:
- 200 KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits;
- 300 BLU-111 500-pound general-purpose bombs;
- 100 Paveway II GBU-12 guidance kits;
- 110 AGM-114R2 Hellfire II missiles;
- 08 M36E9 Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles
Additionally, Qatar would receive Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation Systems (EGI) with M-Code and Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules (SAASM), 10 units of Lynx AN/APY-8 synthetic aperture radars (SAR), and 10 units of L3 Rio Grande communications intelligence (COMINT) sensor suites, among other subsystems, hardware, and ground support equipment.
The principal contractors for this program would include General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation, L3Harris, Boeing Corporation, and Leonardo SpA.
If completed, this would mark the first sale of General Atomics-produced MQ-9B drones to the Middle East.
The MQ-9B, which comes in SkyGuardian and maritime-focused SeaGuardian variants, offers extended endurance capabilities with flight times exceeding 30 hours and operational altitudes of over 40,000 feet. The specific variant Qatar will receive was not specified in the announcement.
As with all FMS cases, the final configuration and cost may change during contract negotiations, and the sale remains subject to Congressional review.-term strategic partnership between the two companies.
Notes and Comments
Qatar had initially requested armed drones in 2020, but the process reportedly faced delays under the previous administration. In fact, the timing of this DSCA notice aligns with recent statements from GA-ASI President David Alexander, who indicated that previously delayed arms sales would likely see momentum under the current administration.
If finalized, the MQ-9B would add to an increasingly long, yet high-value, Qatari arms acquisitions from the United States, i.e., the Boeing F-15QA and AH-64E as well as the Patriot air defence system. In fact, Qatar appears to be the next biggest procurer of American arms after Saudi Arabia among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, especially in recent years.l capabilities across various defence domains, has made it an attractive partner for nations seeking to modernize their military capabilities while also developing their domestic defence industries.
