UK-based defense technology firm MASS has officially unveiled its new NOVA ship protection system at DSEI 2025 in London. Designed to provide a modular and scalable approach to naval electronic warfare (EW), NOVA represents a significant evolution in soft-kill defensive capabilities tailored for modern surface combatants facing increasingly complex missile threats.
Modular Architecture for Modern Naval Threats
NOVA is engineered as a modular and software-defined suite that integrates seamlessly with existing shipboard combat systems. According to MASS, the system is designed to support a wide range of platform sizes—from offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to major surface combatants—by offering scalable configurations that can be tailored to mission profiles or threat environments.
At its core, NOVA provides a layered approach to survivability through coordinated soft-kill effects. The system can manage multiple countermeasure types including RF decoys (such as chaff), infrared flares, active off-board decoys (e.g., Nulka), and onboard jamming systems. It leverages data fusion from radar warning receivers (RWRs), electronic support measures (ESM), and other ship sensors to generate real-time threat assessments and orchestrate optimal countermeasure responses.
This architecture aligns with NATO’s evolving emphasis on CEMA (cyber and electromagnetic activities) integration within naval task groups. By enabling rapid reconfiguration via software updates or plug-and-play module swaps, NOVA supports both peacetime presence operations and high-intensity conflict scenarios.
Electronic Warfare Integration and Decision Support
A key differentiator of the NOVA system is its embedded decision support engine. Drawing on artificial intelligence techniques such as rule-based inference engines and machine learning algorithms trained on historical engagement data, the engine enables automated threat classification and response recommendation within milliseconds of detection.
The system supports both operator-in-the-loop and autonomous modes. In high-tempo engagements—such as saturation missile attacks—the autonomous mode can activate pre-approved countermeasure sequences without human intervention. This capability is particularly relevant in littoral environments where reaction times are compressed due to close-range threats.
NOVA’s interface is designed with human-machine teaming in mind. Operators are presented with intuitive visualizations of threat vectors, engagement timelines, and recommended actions via a touchscreen console or integrated bridge display. The user interface complies with Def Stan 00-250 ergonomic standards used by the UK MoD.
Platform Agnostic Deployment Options
MASS emphasized that NOVA is not tied to any specific combat management system (CMS) or hardware vendor. It uses open architecture principles—specifically adhering to NATO STANAGs for EW interoperability—to ensure compatibility across allied fleets.
- Integration: Compatible with CMSs such as Thales TACTICOS, BAE Systems CMS-1, Saab 9LV
- Sensors: Interfaces with third-party RWRs/ESMs like Leonardo SAGE or Elbit Aqua Marine
- Countermeasures: Controls launchers from Terma C-Guard or Rheinmetall MASS
This flexibility makes it suitable for both new-build programs and mid-life upgrades of legacy platforms. At DSEI 2025, MASS representatives highlighted ongoing discussions with several navies—including the Royal Navy—for potential integration trials aboard Type 23 frigates during their life extension refits scheduled through the late 2020s.
CEMA Alignment and Future Roadmap
NOVA’s development reflects broader UK Ministry of Defence priorities under the Integrated Operating Concept (IOpC) framework—which emphasizes multi-domain integration including cyber-electromagnetic effects across land-sea-air-space domains.
MASS stated that future iterations of NOVA will include enhanced cyber resilience features such as anomaly detection engines for spoofing/jamming attempts against GNSS-dependent systems aboard ships. Additionally, roadmap items include:
- Cognitive EW modules: Adaptive jamming profiles based on real-time emitter behavior analysis
- Swarm coordination: Integration with UAV-based EW payloads for distributed deception tactics
- Synthetic training mode: Embedded simulation environment for crew training without live firing
The company also hinted at potential applications beyond surface vessels—such as deployable containerized versions for forward operating bases or mobile maritime operations centers supporting amphibious forces.
Operational Implications Amid Evolving Missile Threats
The unveiling of NOVA comes amid growing concern over anti-ship missile proliferation among near-peer adversaries and non-state actors alike. From supersonic sea-skimming cruise missiles like Russia’s P-800 Oniks to loitering munitions launched from small boats or UAVs in congested littorals—as seen in Red Sea incidents involving Houthi forces—the need for agile soft-kill solutions has become urgent.
NOVA offers an alternative or complement to hard-kill systems like CIWS or interceptors by disrupting missile seekers before terminal lock-on occurs—particularly valuable when magazine depth is limited or targets are ambiguous. Its ability to coordinate multi-spectral decoys across RF/IR domains addresses increasingly sophisticated dual-mode seekers fielded by adversaries such as China’s YJ-series missiles.
If adopted widely across NATO fleets—especially among second-tier navies lacking Aegis-class defenses—NOVA could enhance collective survivability through common doctrine development around soft-kill coordination tactics under Allied Maritime Command frameworks.
Conclusion: A Step Forward in Modular Naval Survivability
NOVA represents a timely evolution in naval self-protection strategy—emphasizing flexibility, automation, open standards compliance, and AI-driven decision support within an increasingly contested electromagnetic spectrum environment. Its debut at DSEI signals growing industry momentum toward software-defined survivability architectures that can keep pace with rapidly evolving threats without requiring wholesale platform redesigns.
MASS’s offering may find particular traction among navies seeking cost-effective enhancements amid constrained budgets—a compelling proposition given rising tensions across Indo-Pacific sea lanes and renewed focus on North Atlantic deterrence postures following Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
