ISTANBUL — Turkey and Qatar deepened their defense-industrial cooperation during the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) 2026, with a series of agreements signed between Qatari entity Barzan Holdings and leading Turkish defense companies.
The most prominent development involved Turkish shipbuilding consortium TAIS and Barzan Holdings, which signed a $1 billion agreement covering the procurement of two Istif-class frigates.
The agreement was signed by Barzan Holdings on behalf of an international client, which was identified as the Indonesian Navy.
A separate agreement related to the same program had previously been signed between TAIS Shipyards and Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense during the IDEF defense exhibition in Istanbul in July 2025.
Unmanned systems cooperation also featured prominently at the naval show.
STM signed a memorandum of understanding with Barzan Holdings covering joint production and co-development of unmanned aerial systems, with options to extend cooperation to unmanned naval platforms.
Under the pact, STM aims to support the local production and integration of its tactical drones in Qatar, while providing engineering, systems development and technology integration support.
In a statement, Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency said five cooperation agreements were signed at DIMDEX between Barzan Holdings and ASELSAN, ASFAT, MKE, STM and TAIS, covering ammunition production, systems engineering, naval platforms and technology sharing.
Taken together, the deals underline how Ankara and Doha are moving beyond buyer–seller relations toward joint ventures, localized production and third-market projects and positioning Turkey as a long-term industrial partner in Qatar’s defense modernization plans.
Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.
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