Kuwait buys British-built air defence system worth millions

Kuwait has bought an air defence system built in Britain under a £370 million contract that will create a hundred jobs in the United Kingdom, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The contract with MARSS Systems Limited, an EOS company, covers skilled engineering and manufacturing roles, and the work will expand the company’s British offices with production based in Bristol.

MARSS will provide and integrate the system for Kuwait, bringing together jammers, radars and interceptors with its NiDAR platform, an AI-enabled command and control centre, to improve the country’s ability to detect, deter and defeat airborne threats.

The deal forms part of Taskforce Sabre, the British effort that brings government and industry together to help Gulf states secure systems and weapons quickly, and it follows Iranian missile and drone attacks in the region.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard 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.”

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.”

Britain has already supported Kuwait with Rapid Sentry, a ground-based air defence missile system, and the Royal Air Force’s ORCUS counter-drone system is operating in the country, helping personnel detect drones early and act on what they find.

The Ministry of Defence describes the latest contract as building on that existing support and cementing Britain’s role as a defence partner to Kuwait and the wider Gulf region.