Qatar interested to purchase Russian S-400 air defense missile system.

According to a news from the Russian News agency TASS of January 25, 2018, Qatar, an Arab country located in the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula is interested to purchase the Russian-made S-400 air defense missile system. After Turkey, China, India and Saudi Arabia, Qatar is another foreign country interested to acquire this Russian anti-aircraft missile system.

TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) unit of Russian-made S-400 air defense missile ystem at MAKS 2017 (Picture source Army Recognition)

During an interview with the TASS news agency, the Qatar's Ambassador to Russia Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah said has announced that Qatar has showed interest to purchase the Russian air-defense missile system S-400.

In February 2017, it was announced by the Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu that Qatar will signed a military-technical cooperation agreement with Russia.

The Russian defense minister also noted that the military and military-technical cooperation between the two nations had shown positive dynamics. "Russia and Qatar are linked together by their common desire for active political dialog and a steady increase in mutually beneficial ties in various spheres," he said.

According to the Russian defense industry, around 10 countries from the Middle East and Southeast Asia are in negotiations to purchase the Russian-made air defense systems.

The S-400 Triumph SA-21 is a long range surface-to-air defense missile systems produced by the Russian Company Almaz-Antey. The S-400 Triumph is intended to engage, ECM, radar-picket, director area, reconnaissance, strategic and tactical aircraft, tactical and theatre ballistic missiles, medium-range ballistic missiles and other current and future air attack assets at a maximum range of 400 km, and a altitude of up to 30 km. It can simultaneously engage 36 targets.

The S-400 entered service with the Russian Armed Forces on April 28, 2007, replacing the previous generation of air defense system S-300.