On March 30, 2026, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence shared a video showing their ballistic missile and Shahed drone defence efforts amid the ongoing war in Iran. The footage includes the new and one-of-a-kind air defence LPD Al Fulk (and Al Zubarah-class corvettes) in action.
A video released by Qatar’s Ministry of Defence on March 30 shows the Qatari Emiri Navy conducting missile defense and strike operations, including what appears to be the landing platform dock Al Fulk firing at least one of its ASTER 30 Block 1 missile against an incoming threat which could be a ballistic missile. If confirmed, this would mark the first known instance of an amphibious warship engaging ballistic missiles in a real combat. You can watch the full video on X at this link. Below is the relevant excerpt from the video showing Al Fulk in action:
The footage, shared via social media, also shows one of the Qatari Navy’s Al Zubarah-class corvettes launching surface-to-air missiles during both daytime engagement. Separate clips show MM40 Exocet anti-ship missile launches. The video includes shots from inside a darkened combat information center (CIC) and multiple intercepts tracked across the day and night sky.
Al Fulk in action, firing ASTER 30 Block 1 missile
The Al Fulk, delivered by Fincantieri in late 2023, is the only amphibious vessel in the world equipped with a dedicated ballistic missile defense capability. The ship carries an 8-cell Sylver A50 vertical launch system loaded with MBDA ASTER 30 Block 1 missiles, paired with Leonardo’s Kronos AESA radar and a Kronos Power Shield L-band radar capable of detecting ballistic threats at ranges up to 1,500 kilometers.
Using its SAAM-ESD air defense system, Al Fulk can track incoming ballistic missiles and either engage them directly or cue the four Al Zubarah-class corvettes via datalink, each of which carries a 16-cell VLS with the same missile type. The LPD serves as the fleet’s long-range sensor and command node for air defense, a role no other amphibious ship currently performs.
The engagement shown in the video is consistent with the broader pattern of Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks against Qatar that began in June 2025. As Naval News previously reported, the Qatari armed forces have intercepted over 60 ballistic missiles and multiple drone waves since the start of the campaign, with the Emiri Navy contributing to air defense operations alongside the air force.
That an LPD, a ship class designed primarily to carry troops, vehicles, and landing craft, is now conducting ballistic missile defense at sea underscores the unusual operational requirements driving Qatar’s fleet design. With a small navy and a high-threat environment, Qatari Navy opted to integrate area air defense into every major surface combatant, including its amphibious flagship.
Al Zubarah-Class Corvette Launch Anti-Ship Missiles
The video also shows the launches of anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles from Al Zubarah-class corvettes. These vessels carry two quad launchers for MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles. While the Exocet is primarily designed for maritime strike, the Block 3 variant incorporates GPS waypoint navigation and the ability to follow complex 3D flight profiles, giving it a documented capability against shore targets.
No Iranian naval vessel losses from anti-ship missile strikes have been publicly recorded during the current conflict. The footage may therefore depict Exocet missiles being employed in a land-attack role against coastal targets, a use case the MM40 Block 3 family was specifically designed to support. The Al Zubarah-class corvettes displace approximately 3,250 tons and are armed with a 76mm gun, RAM close-in defense, and 16 ASTER 30 Block 1 missiles for air defence. Built by Fincantieri between 2020 and 2024, the four ships form the backbone of Qatar’s surface fleet.
