Kuwait has agreed to acquire an air defense system valued at £370 million ($490.5 million) from British defense technology company MARSS to strengthen its ability to detect and counter incursions by unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
MARSS, a subsidiary of Australia-based Electro Optic Systems, will deploy an integrated sensor network combining electro-optical systems, radar, and sonar, connected through its proprietary NiDAR platform.
The artificial intelligence-enabled command-and-control system will consolidate tracking data, assess potential threats across air and maritime domains, and help operators coordinate faster responses. Its layered defense architecture will offer both soft-kill and hard-kill options, including electronic jammers and physical interceptors, to counter incoming threats.
Strengthening Regional Defense Cooperation
The UK government stated that the agreement builds on wider efforts under Task Force Sabre, an initiative coordinating the delivery of weapons and defense equipment to partner nations in the Gulf. The initiative was established in response to continuing missile and drone threats from Iran amid the broader Middle East conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Beyond its operational significance, the contract is expected to support approximately 100 engineering and manufacturing jobs at MARSS’ facility in Bristol and throughout its UK-based supply chain. The project also reinforces British defense industry’s role in supplying integrated air defense capabilities to regional partners.
