Australian Navy Adds “Multi-Ammunition Soft Kill System” Shield To “Jam” Anti-Ship Missiles

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

An electromagnetic “screen” or “shield” has been engineered to block, confuse, jam or simply disable guidance systems built into missiles and laser-guided munitions designed to attack ships at sea.

In use already by more than 15-countries, Rheinmetall defence’s Multi-Ammunition Soft Kill System (MASS) currently protects warships operating for Germany, Peru, Sweden, Finland, Norway and New Zealand from a wide range of kinetic and non-kinetic attacks through an ammunition-based “soft-kill” technology.

MASS will now protect Royal Australian Navy warships, according to an essay published by Rheinmetall Defence Australia.

“Programmable and multispectral, the system’s (MASS) innovative ammunition provides protection in all relevant wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. With its movable launcher system and the programmable ammunition, MASS deploys spontaneous screening which covers vessels completely,” a Rheinmetall essay explains.

In an operational sense, the weapon seems to operate and look like a smoke screen or wide “blanket” of non-kinetic, EW-driven protections against a wide range of guidance systems. While many specifics related to the system are not likely to be available for security reasons, it seems feasible that the MASS ammunition disperses a range of smoke-like material and electromagnetic signals to confuse, jam or “derail” incoming enemy weapons. Many missiles and anti-ship weapons rely upon RF guidance systems or laser spotting, both things which an electromagnetic “cloud” of sorts might be well positioned to “jam.” Once an approaching weapon loses its guidance system and precision, it is not likely to continue onto its target.

While in existence for more than a decade, MASS appears to have been massively upgraded to an improved MASS_ISS variant which will protect Royal Australian Navy ships.

“The fully computerized and trainable countermeasure system MASS provides a unique level of protection against modern sensor- and LASER-guided missiles. MASS can be installed on ships of all types and can be integrated into existing command systems. The new MASS_ISS features built-in sensors for detecting radar and laser threats,” an essay in Army Recognition states.