EDGE Group Signs £1.8bn Kuwait Missile Boat Deal

EDGE Group has won a contract worth close to £2 billion to supply the Kuwait Naval Force with a fleet of FALAJ3 missile boats.

The United Arab Emirates defence conglomerate will supply the 62-metre offshore patrol vessel (OPVs) under the terms of a newly agreed landmark deal agreed with Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence and valued at AED 9 billion (about £1.8 billion).

The group claims it represents the region’s highest-value naval shipbuilding export contract to date. As per a recent press statement: “As the prime contractor, EDGE will lead the programme, which includes the design, construction, trials, and delivery of the vessels, in addition to Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) and In-Service Support (ISS). EDGE will also provide the ammunition.”

The vessels will be constructed at Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), EDGE Group’s naval arm.

EDGE Group’s Managing Director and CEO Hamad Al Marar commented: “This agreement with Kuwait is hugely significant both in scale and strategic importance. It deepens long-term defence ties between our nations, brings a proven class of advanced vessels into regional service, and reinforces EDGE’s position as a trusted international partner.

“It also reflects the pace of industrial and engineering progress we’ve achieved in just a few years, and our ability to design, build, and deliver complex naval platforms at scale. As we enter a new phase of export-led growth, this programme marks a clear signal of global confidence in what EDGE can deliver.” 

The vessels are an evolution of the design of the Fearless-class OPVs built by Singapore Technologies Marine for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) in the 1990s. The ships have a 2,000-nautical-mile range at 16 knots, a maximum speed of 26 knots and are equipped for air, surface, and submarine warfare.

The OPVs vessels will be tailored to meet Kuwait’s operational requirements, offering advanced combat systems and enhanced capabilities for littoral defence. 

EDGE Group is also supplying four FALAJ3 OPVs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy under a $950 million deal agreed with the UAE Ministry of Defence in 2021.The first vessel, Altaf, was formally commissioned into service in February this year.

• You can read more details on the EDGE Group’s website