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Rheinmetall Defence Australia has begun assembling the first Multi Ammunition Soft Kill System (MASS) ship protection systems in Australia for installation on Royal Australian Navy ships.
MASS is an off-board decoy system for naval vessels to defend against incoming missiles and asymmetric threats with a tailored soft-kill and screening effect. MASS will initially be used to equip six platforms and could potentially be integrated into the entire fleet.
The countermeasures initiated by the system create a decoy target, which the approaching missile then interprets as a higher-value target, causing it to ultimately change course. MASS deploys these countermeasures autonomously, taking into account wind and the ship's navigation data as well as information about the nature of the threat.
Nathan Poyner, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia, highlighted that MASS was selected based on its capabilities following extensive testing.
"This is Rheinmetall's largest single order to date in the field of ship protection technology and could potentially be expanded to equip the entire Australian fleet. Rheinmetall Defence Australia will assemble the systems in Australia before they are installed, commissioned and integrated on board the Navy's surface combat ships."
"The Australian MASS contract secures new jobs at Rheinmetall Defence Australia's Military Vehicle Center of Excellence (MILVEHCOE), where the MASS systems ordered by the Royal Australian Navy will be assembled and tested."
"Although the contract runs until 2027, Rheinmetall Defence Australia will be responsible for maintaining these ship protection assets beyond that period ," Poyner said. "This will open up new opportunities for expanding the group's Australian supply chain. MASS offers potential partners in the Australian defence sector the opportunity to work with Rheinmetall and the Royal Australian Navy to deliver this important defence capability."
“Rheinmetall is committed to building Australian industrial capacity and creating jobs in advanced manufacturing in sectors such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, munitions manufacturing and software.”
“Our partnership with the Royal Australian Navy is a key element of our long-term investment in Australia’s defence capabilities and we are proud to be part of the Australian Government’s work to develop a robust, sustainable and globally competitive defence industry ,” said Nathan Poyner.
