Kuwait signs conditional GBP370 million deal for C-UAV network from MARSS

MARSS' NiDAR Nation Shield displayed at WDS 2026. (Janes/Fitore Fazliu Tahiri)

Kuwait has signed a GBP370 million contract for a nationwide counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) defence system built around MARSS's NiDAR artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled command-and-control (C2) platform, according to announcements published on 9 October 2026.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) identified Kuwait as the customer and UK-based MARSS Systems Limited, part of Australia's Electro Optic Systems (EOS), as the supplier. EOS announced the agreement with an unnamed Gulf Cooperation Council member, describing it as its largest contract to date, but said conditions remained outstanding before work could commence.

EOS said it will act as prime contractor and systems integrator. The contract covers a network of third-party electro-optical, radar and sonar sensors feeding NiDAR-equipped central command centres, together with an initial supply effectors such as hard-kill interceptors and soft-kill jammers, it added. The announcements did not identify the sensor and effector models or quantities selected.

MARSS chief executive Johannes Pinl said the company would integrate sensors and effectors through to 2027 to protect Kuwait's population, critical infrastructure, and national assets. According to the MoD, production will be based in Bristol and the programme will create 100 UK engineering and manufacturing jobs.

MARSS describes NiDAR as a modular, sensor-agnostic platform designed to integrate existing and new surveillance equipment and countermeasures. At its centre is NiDAR Core, which MARSS describes as an AI-powered Internet of Things platform combining AI, conventional algorithms, and operational logic to consolidate sensor information into a single situational awareness picture.