Leonardo signs huge naval combat systems deal for Kuwait

Leonardo has signed a contract with Abu Dhabi Ship Building to provide naval combat systems for the Kuwait Navy’s Al Dorra missile boat programme, the company stated.

The deal, valued at around €320 million, covers next-generation naval combat systems in the Falaj 3 configuration and was signed with ADSB, the naval arm of the UAE’s EDGE Group. Leonardo said the contract represents a further step in a partnership that has already resulted in the delivery of more than 25 naval vessels over more than 20 years of collaboration.

The agreement also advances what Leonardo describes as a move toward the creation of a future joint venture between the two organisations. The company said the backlog of acquired contracts underpins a business model capable of meeting standards in the global defence market.

According to Leonardo, the partnership with EDGE and ADSB is positioning a whole warship management capability on the international stage, covering system integration through to the delivery of naval platforms.

Leonardo describes itself as a strategic partner to the Italian Navy and says its naval solutions are installed across more than 100 navies worldwide. Its portfolio covers combat management systems, naval guns, long-range surveillance and missile defence capabilities.

ADSB, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, is one of the Middle East’s principal naval shipbuilders and forms part of EDGE Group, the UAE’s state-backed advanced technology and defence conglomerate established in 2019. The Al Dorra programme forms part of Kuwait’s broader effort to modernise its naval forces, with the missile boat configuration reflecting continued regional demand for fast attack craft capable of operating in the confined and contested waters of the Arabian Gulf.