Harmattan AI and Barzan Holdings will explore the deployment of autonomous very short-range air defense systems (VSHORAD) in Qatar under a new partnership aimed at strengthening the country’s defenses against drone threats.
Under a memorandum of understanding, the companies will demonstrate Harmattan AI’s autonomous systems, including its GOBI TEMPEST platform and mission orchestration system.
GOBI TEMPEST is a mid-range counter-drone interceptor built for Group 2 and Group 3 aerial threats.
Harmattan AI said its autonomous air defense technology has already been used in engagements with NATO and allied forces, although it did not disclose further details about those activities.
For Barzan, the partnership aligns with Qatar’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and critical infrastructure against hostile drones.
“New threats are emerging, and they require advanced autonomous technologies that only a few companies in the world can deliver,” Harmattan AI CEO Mouad M’Ghari said.
“When facing a swarm of hostile drones, only a solution made of attritable, industrially scalable, autonomous systems can ensure the security of a strategic site.”
Very Short-Range Air Defense
VSHORAD systems are designed to engage aerial threats at close range, including low-flying aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
They typically complement longer-range air defense weapons as part of a layered protection network.
Depending on the system, these capabilities can include portable air defense missiles, guns, and other interceptors.
Counter-drone configurations may also combine sensors and electronic warfare tools to detect and disrupt hostile aircraft before using kinetic weapons to destroy them.