The Kuwait Navy Force (), is the sea-based component of the Kuwait Armed Forces. The headquarters and sole naval base is Mohammed Al-Ahmad Kuwait Naval Base. The Kuwait Naval Force consists of over 2,200 officers and enlisted personnel, excluding about 500 coast guard personnel. The Coast Guard, a Border Security Directorate of the Kuwait Ministry of Interior.http://www.moi.gov.kw/kcg/ Official Website Sector of the General Department of the Coast Guard, Kuwait Ministry of Interior, (in Arabic)Naval forces: over 2,200 people (excluding 500 in coastguard)
History Kuwait's navy was established in 1961 shortly after Britain ended the country's protectorate status following Operation Vantage.
During the Invasion of Kuwait and Operation Desert Storm, Kuwait's navy was almost completely destroyed. List of Ships in Kuwait Naval Force History At the start of the invasion, the Iraqi Navy captured and sank five Kuwaiti Lürssen TNC-45 type fast attack craft (missile) and one Lürssen FPB-57 type fast attack craft (missile). Kuwait Naval Forces also lost 20 other ships to Iraq during the war.List of Ships in Kuwait Naval Force History
On 11 November 2008, Kuwait Naval Base was the location of the historic signing of the non-legally binding maritime Khawr Abd Allah Protocols otherwise known as the KAA Protocols. The signing of the KAA Protocols by the then respective heads of the Kuwaiti Naval Force and the Iraqi Navy was the first formal and successful maritime bilateral military agreement for the co-ordinated and de-conflicted use of the Khawr Abd Allah waterway since before the 1991 Persian Gulf War. The protocols were developed and mediated by Major David Hammond RM, a British Royal Navy barrister in 2008 and they were subsequently ratified by both the Kuwaiti and Iraqi governments before the 11 November 2008 signing. They were subsequently reported to the US Congress within the December 2008 'Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq' report and the text of which have since become public knowledge following leaks in US diplomatic notes.
Structure and Organization Kuwait Naval Warships Kuwait Marine Corps Kuwait Commando Marine Units
Part of the present fleet
List of Missile Fast Patrol Boats (MFPB) ClassUnitsNote Istiqlal (German FPB-57) 1 410 tons full load – 4 MM-40 SSM – commissioned 1983 Al Sanbouk (German TNC-45) 1 255 tons full load – 4 MM-40 SSM – commissioned 1984 Um Al Maradim (Combattante P37-BRL) 8 245 tons full load – 4 Sea Skua SSM – commissioned 1998–2000
List of Patrol Fighting Vessels ClassUnitsNote Intisar (Australian OPV-310) 4 Al-Shaheed (FPB 100K) 3 Subahi (FPB 115) 10 Kassir Inshore Patrol Craft 3 Victory Team (P-46) 16 Inshore Patrol Crafts 50 Mark V Special Operations Craft 10
List of Amphibious Vessels and Landing Craft
ClassUnitsNote Al-Tahaddy LCU 2 Safar (Loadmaster) LCU 1 LCU (ST Marine) 1 Saffar (L 6401)264m landing craft built by ADSB in UAESabhan (L 4201)142m landing craft built by ADSB in UAESea Keeper516m fast landing craft built by ADSB in UAEAir-cushioned landing craft2
List of Supply Vessels ClassUnitsNote Sawahil ( Dorrar Support Ship) 1 Nautilus (Swiftship 176) SDV 2
Future ships 1 DSV (Diving Support Vessel)
Landing craft, the procurement programme for the Kuwait Navy included the acquisition of two 64 m landing craft, one 42 m landing craft and five 16 m composite landing craft; all will be built at the Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) facilities in the Mussafah industrial area (UAE) all delivered except one 64 m landing craft to be delivered in 2017.
EDGE has announced the signing of a major AED 9 billion (USD 2.45 billion) defence contract with the Kuwait Ministry of Defence for the supply of 8 FALAJ-3 62-metre missile boats. This contract marks the largest naval shipbuilding export in the region and ranks among the highest-value naval export deals globally.
See also Chief of the General Staff (Kuwait) Ministry of Defense (Kuwait) Military ranks of Kuwait
Notes
References Article on Kuwaiti Military Globalsecurity.org report on the Iraqi navy Ships of the Kuwait Navy, past and present Um Al Marradim Class description Summary of Kuwait military power Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq
External links UNIKOM
Kuwait Navy buys gun system from Rheinmetall