# Kuwait Naval Force

The Kuwait Naval Force (Arabic: القوة البحرية الكويتية romanized: Al-Quwwat Al-Bahriyah Al-Kuwaitiyah), 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.

## 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. 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.
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

### List of Missile Fast Patrol Boats (MFPB)

| Class | Units | Note |
| 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

| Class | Units |
| 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

| Class | Units | Note |
| Al-Tahaddy LCU | 2 | |
| Safar (Loadmaster) LCU | 1 | |
| LCU (ST Marine) | 1 | |
| Saffar (L 6401) | 2 | 64m Landing craft built by ADSB in UAE |
| Sabhan (L 4201) | 1 | 42m landing craft built by ADSB in UAE |
| Sea Keeper | 5 | 16m fast landing craft built by ADSB in UAE |
| Air-cushioned landing craft | 2 | |

### List of Supply Vessels

| Class | Units | Note |
| 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 ADSB’s facilities in the Mussafah industrial area (UAE) all delivered except one 64 m landing craft to be delivered in 2017.