Kuwaiti Naval Forces’ new Al Dorra-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) will be equipped with Rheinmetall’s Multi Ammunition Softkill Systems (MASS) ship protection system.
The decoy launchers are set to be fitted to the eight Al Dorra-class guided-missile boats being constructed by Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding and ST Engineering on behalf of UAE-based prime contractor EDGE Group.
The precise value of the deal has not been disclosed but as per Rheinmetall, sits “in the low double-digit million-Euro range.” The contract covers eight launcher systems plus their associated Omnitrap-ER ammunition rounds.
The German firm stated: “MASS protects ships and boats from a wide range of threats, such as attacks by anti-ship missiles or laser-guided weapons, whether on the high seas, in coastal waters or on rivers.
“It provides multispectral decoys via a single system by covering all relevant wavelength ranges, including radar, ultraviolet, electrooptical sensors, lasers and infrared.”
It said its latest Omnitrap-ER decoy rounds feature an extended range and an improved trajectory for more precise deployment against infrared-guided threats. Deliveries of the MASS systems will start this summer and continue through to summer 2029.
The eight 62-metre Falaj 3-class OPVs, also known as the Al Dorra class, are guided-missile boats being built across two shipyards. Five, including the first-in-class Al Noukhitha launched in February, are being constructed by Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding.
The other three are being constructed by ST Engineering in Singapore. The vessels are based on its Fearless-class patrol vessels, optimised for coastal defence. Italian defence prime Leonardo is supplying the combat management system, radars, and maritime surveillance equipment.
The warships will be capable of 25 knots and have an estimated range of around 2,000 nautical miles.They will each be armed with a 76mm Leonardo naval gun, and four MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship cruise missiles.
They will also carry two Halcon/LIG Nex1 LOGIR (Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket) launchers to guard against asymmetric threats such as swarm attacks from uncrewed aerial systems and/or fast attack craft.
Lead ship Al Noukhitha is scheduled for formal handover and commissioning into active duty with the Kuwait Naval Force in 2029; all the warships are set to be delivered by 2033.
- You can read more details about the MASS system on the Rheinmetall website