During a visit to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on May 14, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a groundbreaking defense agreement that will see Qatar acquire $ 42 billion worth of advanced American military equipment. The centerpiece of the Qatar leg of this tour was the official announcement of Qatar’s procurement of the U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, a major enhancement to the country’s missile air defense capabilities and a clear sign of growing defense ties between Qatar and the United States. The THAAD, developed by the American company Lockheed Martin, is a mobile ground-based missile defense platform designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles during their terminal phase, just before impact, using kinetic energy. Unlike traditional explosive warheads, THAAD employs a hit-to-kill approach, physically colliding with the target to neutralize it. It is capable of engaging short-range, medium-range, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. THAAD interceptors are designed to engage threats both inside and just outside the Earth’s atmosphere, providing a critical upper-tier layer in a multi-layered missile defense architecture.

Full story : Qatar Signs $42 Billion U.S. Defense Deal Including THAAD Air Defense Missile System.