A £370 million export contract awarded to Bristol-based defence technology specialist
MARSS Systems is set to create 100 new jobs in the UK while strengthening Kuwait's air defence capabilities.
The agreement will see MARSS, an
EOS company, provide and integrate an advanced air defence system for Kuwait, combining radars, jammers and interceptors with the company's AI-enabled NiDAR command-and-control platform. The system is designed to improve the detection, tracking and neutralisation of airborne threats, including drones and missiles.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the new work will support skilled engineering and manufacturing roles in the UK, with production activity centred on MARSS's Bristol operations. The investment is expected to contribute to the company's continued expansion while reinforcing the UK's position as a supplier of advanced defence technologies to international markets.
The contract forms part of the UK Government's Taskforce Sabre initiative, which brings together government and industry to help Gulf nations acquire defence systems in response to growing regional security challenges. The programme has gained increased significance following missile and drone attacks in the Middle East in recent years.
Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said the agreement demonstrated the UK's commitment to supporting key regional allies while generating economic benefits at home.
He said: "This deal is a clear demonstration of the UK delivering on its promise to support our regional partners.
"By backing Kuwait with world-leading British technology, we're not just strengthening a vital ally's defences against real and growing threats. We're creating skilled jobs here at home and proving that UK industry can deliver when it matters most."
MARSS said its NiDAR platform would act as the central element of the system, integrating multiple sensors and effectors into a single operational picture. The technology uses artificial intelligence to rapidly identify threats and coordinate responses across a layered air defence architecture.
Johannes Pinl, chief executive of MARSS, said: "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.
"Through 2027, 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."
The latest order builds on an established defence relationship between the UK and Kuwait. The UK has previously supplied the Rapid Sentry ground-based air defence missile system, while the RAF's ORCUS counter-drone capability is already operating in the Gulf state to help identify and respond to unmanned aerial threats.
Pic: The MARSS NiDAR platform, courtesy of MARSS