Rheinmetall Multi Ammunition Softkill System in operation

DEFENCE CONNECT: Rheinmetall Defence Australia has kicked off local assembly of the first Multi Ammunition Softkill System (MASS) shipsets, destined for installation on Royal Australian Navy vessels. This off-board countermeasure system is engineered to defeat incoming missile and asymmetric threats by generating decoy targets, thereby misdirecting hostile projectiles away from high-value assets. [by Ed. this is the same fundamental concept used by the RAN’s NULKA systems]. The MASS will initially equip six naval platforms, with potential plans to extend its use to future fleet vessels. Operating autonomously, the system takes into account local wind conditions, the ship’s navigational data, and threat specifics to deploy its countermeasures effectively.

Nathan Poyner, managing director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia, stated; “This is the group’s single-biggest order ever for ship protection technology and could potentially grow to equip Australia’s entire fleet. Rheinmetall Defence Australia assembles the systems here before installing and commissioning them on board the Navy’s seagoing surface combatants. While the contract end date is 2027, we’re committed to the sustainment of these countermeasure units well beyond that time frame.” Poyner added that the systems are being assembled and tested at the company’s centre of excellence for military vehicles. This initiative not only strengthens the Royal Australian Navy’s defensive capabilities but also paves the way for expanding Rheinmetall’s Australian supply chain. It offers potential partners in the local defence sector the opportunity to collaborate closely with both Rheinmetall and the Navy to enhance Australia’s overall defence capabilities.

Poyner added that the systems are being assembled and tested at the company’s centre of excellence for military vehicles. This initiative not only strengthens the Royal Australian Navy’s defensive capabilities but also paves the way for expanding Rheinmetall’s Australian supply chain. It offers potential partners in the local defence sector the opportunity to collaborate closely with both Rheinmetall and the Navy to enhance Australia’s overall defence capabilities.