ST Engineering's marine division has been awarded a six-year subcontract valued at $600 million from Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ABSB) to construct eight missile gun boats for the Kuwait Naval Force.

In a statement released on April 1, ST Engineering announced that it will design and supply the platform systems for the fleet, with three of the vessels set to be built at its shipyard in Singapore.

The missile gun boats will be based on ST Engineering's proprietary Fearless-class patrol vessel design.

Initially introduced by the Republic of Singapore Navy in 1995, four of these vessels were refurbished and reactivated 26 years later as Sentinel-class Maritime and Security and Response Vessels.

According to ST Engineering, the Fearless-class patrol vessels are "purpose-built for versatility and reliability," making them "well suited for operations in the Middle East for prolonged patrols and naval duties in challenging maritime environments."

This announcement follows a previous contract awarded to ST Engineering in 2021 for the construction of four similar offshore patrol vessels for the United Arab Emirates Navy.

"We are honored that the Kuwait Naval Force has chosen our Fearless-class design for their new missile gun boat," stated Tan Leong Peng, president of the marine business at ST Engineering.

"The increasing acceptance of our design across the Middle East, including Oman, UAE, and now Kuwait, showcases customer confidence in its robust operational performance and adaptability."

chingshijie@asiaone.com