Turkish shipbuilder Dearsan Shipyard is progressing steadily with the construction of two 50-metre guided missile fast attack craft for the Qatar Naval Forces, a little over a year after the keel-laying ceremony was held in December 2024.
The programme, formalised under a contract signed in June 2023 and publicly unveiled at DIMDEX 2024 in Doha, represents a tailored naval capability designed specifically for Qatar’s operational environment.
Construction of the first vessel began in early 2024, with the keel-laying ceremony conducted at Dearsan’s Istanbul facility on 23 December 2024. Since then, work has advanced through the hull and structural phases, with outfitting activities now underway on the lead ship, while construction of the second craft continues on schedule.
Designated by the Qatari customer as the MAC 50 (Missile Attack Craft), the vessels measure 50.76 metres in length, with a beam of 9.53 metres and a draft of 2.10 metres. They are designed for a maximum speed of 36 knots and a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles, enabling sustained operations across the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. The platform features a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure and is powered by three diesel engines driving waterjets.
The combat system configuration reflects a strong focus on surface warfare, air defence and asymmetric threats. Primary armament includes surface-to-surface missiles from Roketsan, surface-to-air missiles, and a 40 mm main gun supplied by Leonardo, supported by remote weapon stations and machine guns. Sensors and electronic warfare systems are supplied by Aselsan.
Following completion of outfitting, sea trials are planned first in Türkiye, followed by acceptance trials in Qatar ahead of delivery to the Qatari fleet.
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