Kuwait orders £370m British counter-drone system as Gulf air defences expand

Kuwait has agreed to buy a £370 million British counter-drone system that will combine radar, jammers and interceptors, the UK Ministry of Defence announced on Friday. The deal links a Gulf state facing regional missile and drone threats to a British defence supplier, but the equipment is not yet described as fully deployed.

What the contract covers

MARSS Systems Limited, part of Electro Optic Systems, is to integrate those components using its NiDAR command-and-control platform. The ministry says production will be based in Bristol and forecasts 100 new UK jobs. MARSS says integration of the sensors and defensive systems will continue through 2027. The announced contract value and jobs figure come from the UK government; they should not be mistaken for evidence of systems already operating.

Why Kuwait is strengthening its defences

London presents the contract as part of Taskforce Sabre, its effort to help Gulf partners obtain defences after Iranian missile and drone attacks in the region. Kuwait already has British-supported Rapid Sentry ground-based air defence and the RAF ORCUS drone-detection system, according to the ministry. The new package is intended to add a layered response to airborne threats, including against critical infrastructure.

The strategic test

Whether the deal changes Kuwait’s protection will depend on delivery, integration and operational use through 2027. The announcement signals closer UK–Kuwait defence cooperation; it does not establish that the new system has intercepted a threat. The photograph shows a British soldier training with a different counter-drone device in Germany in June 2025 and is marked as archive.