MARSS to provide counter-drone defense systems, hard-kill interceptors to Kuwait

MARSS has signed a £370 million ($489 million) contract with Kuwait to provide a nationwide counter-drone defense system that includes hard-kill interceptors.

On October 12, 2026, MARSS said the defense system will cover threats from both the air and the sea through the installation of electro-optical, radar and sonar sensors across a network of sites to feed central command centers.

MARSS will deploy a cellular system built around NiDAR, the UK firm’s AI-enabled command and control (C2) system, designed for multi domain surveillance and counter-drone defense.

According to MARSS, NiDAR will “fuse the data into actionable threat assessments, providing hemispherical coverage against airborne and coastal seaborne drones”.

MARSS

“Recent conflicts in the Middle East have shown the damage drone attacks can inflict, and the limits of air defences that rely on expensive interceptor missiles,” MARSS said. “With soft-kill and hard-kill effectors integrated into and controlled through NiDAR, operators have layered defeat options and can select the most appropriate response for each situation.”

The company added: “NiDAR dramatically shortens the decision cycle from detection to defeat, using AI to classify threats automatically, recommend engagement and reduce the cognitive burden on operators.”

The UK has already supported Kuwait with Rapid Sentry, a ground-based air defense missile system. The RAF’s ORCUS system is also operating in the country, helping personnel detect drones early and take decisive action.

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The MARSS agreement with Kuwait forms part of the UK government’s Taskforce Sabre, which brings together government and industry to help Gulf states rapidly secure the systems they need.

“Countering drones and aerial threats is not about any single system. It is about an intelligent, layered architecture that detects, decides and defeats within seconds, and MARSS has built exactly that,” Johannes Pinl, CEO of MARSS, said. “Over the coming 24 months, MARSS will integrate the sensors and effectors that protect Kuwait’s people, critical infrastructure and national assets, backed by British engineering and new skilled jobs here in the UK.”

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