Kuwait signs conditional GBP370 million deal for counter-unmanned network from MARSS

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

Kuwait has signed a GBP370 million (USD490 million) contract for a nationwide counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) defence system built around MARSS' NiDAR artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled command-and-control (C2) platform, according to press releases 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 in a press release on that day. EOS described the agreement in its release 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 of effectors, including hard-kill interceptors and soft-kill jammers, it added. The announcements did not identify the sensor and effector models or quantities selected.

MARSS says NiDAR is also designed to counter unmanned maritime vehicles, extending the platform's remit beyond aerial threats. Rob Balloch, Chief Growth Officer of MARSS, told Janes on 12 October that the network in Kuwait would cover multiple bases and critical infrastructure, using more than 10 third-party fixed sonar units for port protection, alongside third-party cameras and surface radars.

He described the initial effector layer as short-range, but did not rule out that it would include missiles as hard-kill effectors. Janes