Gulf Warships Arrive in Force at Doha Port for Major Naval Showcase.

Four visiting warships from Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar on display in Doha during DIMDEX 2026 offer a clear snapshot of how Gulf navies are modernizing for high-risk, crowded waters. Together, the ships highlight a shift toward layered naval forces that prioritize speed, integration, and air defense, a trend with direct implications for US naval planning and regional security.

At DIMDEX 2026 in Doha, four visiting warships moored side by side offered a rare and revealing cross-section of how Gulf navies are reshaping their maritime forces for a far more demanding security environment. Drawn from Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, the vessels on display collectively illustrate a deliberate move toward layered naval power built around fast coastal strike platforms, high-speed operational lift, multi-role surface combatants, and a flagship capable of combining amphibious projection with fleet-level air defense. With the exhibition running from 19 to 22 January 2026, the visiting warships segment has once again become the most instructive element of the show, translating abstract procurement programs into tangible combat systems, deck layouts, and operational tradeoffs visible at the pier.
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Visiting warships at DIMDEX 2026 in Doha highlight how Gulf navies are building layered maritime power, combining fast missile patrol craft, high-speed support vessels, multi-role corvettes, and an amphibious flagship with long-range air defense to dominate contested littoral waters (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

Kuwait’s KNS Al-Garoh, an Um Al Maradim-class missile patrol combatant, is the smallest hull in the group but arguably the most Gulf-native in its tactics. At roughly 42 meters in length and around the 250-ton class, with twin MTU diesel engines driving waterjets, it is designed for the compressed geometry of the Arabian Gulf, where short reaction times, congested sea lanes, and constant close-range identification challenges dominate naval operations. Waterjet propulsion is a tactical choice as much as an engineering one, providing rapid acceleration, shallow-water access, and the ability to execute aggressive maneuvering during intercepts without the hydrodynamic penalties of conventional propellers.

This mobility is matched with a sensor and survivability suite tailored for the littoral fight. Surface-search and fire-control radars are paired with electro-optical sensors to enable rapid target classification, while electronic warfare systems and decoy launchers are intended to disrupt incoming threats long enough for the ship to engage or disengage. Al-Garoh’s armament reflects a deliberate balance between stand-off lethality and close-in control. Sea Skua anti-ship missiles give the craft the ability to strike beyond visual range against surface combatants and high-value auxiliaries, while the 40 mm naval gun, 20 mm cannon, and machine guns provide layered responses against small boats, unmanned surface threats, and aerial targets at close range. In operational terms, this class excels when operating in coordinated patrols or under shore-based sensor coverage, turning narrow waterways into controlled engagement zones.

If Al-Garoh embodies coastal sea denial, Oman’s Al Mubashir (S11) represents speed translated into operational reach. Built by Austal as a 72.5-meter aluminum catamaran, the ship is optimized for rapid lift and intra-theater mobility rather than direct combat. Its shallow draft allows access to ports and coastal areas unavailable to larger ships, while four MTU engines driving Rolls-Royce waterjets push the vessel to speeds approaching 38 knots. The defining feature is capacity. A large mission and vehicle deck supports heavy payloads, roll-on roll-off operations, and crane-assisted loading, enabling rapid movement of forces, vehicles, or humanitarian supplies.

The flight deck rated for NH90-class helicopters expands this flexibility, allowing vertical resupply, casualty evacuation, and limited air mobility in support of dispersed operations. Defensive armament is intentionally modest, underscoring the ship’s doctrinal role. Al Mubashir is not designed to fight its way into contested waters, but to exploit speed and coordination, operating within a protected envelope created by escorts or air cover. In modern Gulf scenarios, that ability to reposition forces faster than an adversary can react is itself a form of power.

Saudi Arabia’s corvette Onaizah (832), an Al Jubail-class vessel based on the Avante 2200 design, illustrates the next tier of naval capability. At roughly 104 meters in length and around 2,500 tons displacement, the ship has the size and endurance of a light frigate. Its combat effectiveness is centered on sensors and command architecture. The TRS-4D AESA radar provides advanced air and surface surveillance in dense traffic and electronically contested environments, while the domestically developed Hazem combat management system reflects Riyadh’s strategic push toward greater system integration and technological sovereignty.

Onaizah’s weapons suite supports true multi-role operations. A 76 mm naval gun covers surface engagements and warning fire, while a 35 mm close-in weapon system provides rapid-response defense against missiles and unmanned threats. Vertical-launch air defense missiles, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes give the corvette credible capabilities across air, surface, and subsurface domains. An embarked helicopter further extends the ship’s sensor reach and targeting chain, a decisive advantage in Gulf waters where early detection often determines the outcome of an engagement.

Qatar’s Al Fulk (L141) stands apart as the most powerful surface combatant in the group. Built by Fincantieri, this 143-meter amphibious transport dock combines force projection, command-and-control, and fleet air defense in a single hull. Designed to embark hundreds of personnel, operate NH90 helicopters, and deploy landing craft from a well deck, Al Fulk is structured for both combat operations and humanitarian response. What truly differentiates the ship is its air defense capability. Equipped with Sylver vertical launch cells firing Aster missiles and supported by advanced multi-band radar systems, Al Fulk can contribute to long-range air and missile defense while acting as a command node for a task group.

Seen together in Doha, these four ships outline a coherent Gulf naval logic. Fast littoral combatants deliver precision firepower, high-speed support vessels preserve operational tempo, multi-role corvettes protect and control the battlespace, and a heavily equipped flagship anchors the force with command, lift, and air defense. The vessels on display are not just products of procurement cycles, but tangible expressions of how regional navies expect to fight in crowded, high-threat waters where speed, integration, and layered defense are decisive.