Kuwait has awarded Rheinmetall a contract to equip its Al Dorra-class guided-missile boats with naval decoy systems to protect them against anti-ship missiles and other guided threats.
Under the multi-million-euro contract, eight boats of the Kuwaiti Naval Forces will be equipped with the Multi Ammunition Softkill System (MASS). Deliveries will begin this year following receipt of the order and conclude in the second quarter of 2029.
The contract also includes Omnitrap-ER decoy ammunition, as well as system integration and verification activities. The latest-generation decoys offer extended range and an improved flight trajectory, enabling more precise deployment against modern imaging radar- and infrared-guided anti-ship missile threats.
Multi Ammunition Softkill System
MASS is an off-board soft-kill countermeasure system that protects ships against anti-ship missiles and other sensor-guided threats by launching multispectral Omni Trap decoys to divert incoming weapons.
The system autonomously deploys decoys based on wind conditions, the vessel’s navigation data, and threat characteristics.
Configurable with up to six launchers, each carrying up to 32 decoys, MASS can be installed on vessels ranging from offshore patrol vessels to frigates and can be operated either as a standalone system or integrated with existing command-and-control and weapon-control systems.
Al Dorra Program
Al Dorra-class guided-missile boats are being built as part of Kuwait’s largest naval shipbuilding program in more than 15 years. Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding is constructing the versatile stealth patrol vessels for the UAE-based EDGE Group, the program’s prime contractor.
Designed to strengthen maritime security, coastal patrol, search-and-rescue operations, and the protection of offshore energy infrastructure, the vessels are moving closer to delivery as the program advances through a series of major contracts awarded in 2026.
Earlier this month, French company HGH was awarded a contract to equip the vessels with its SPYNEL 360-degree infrared surveillance systems.
The previous month, Leonardo secured a 320-million-euro ($370 million) contract to provide naval combat systems for the program.
Earlier, in April, Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding selected Singapore’s ST Engineering under a contract worth about 600 million Singapore dollars ($467 million) to design and supply platform systems for the fleet.
