Britain: Kuwait agrees to buy an air-defence system from "Mars" worth about $489 million
The British government announced on Friday that Kuwait has approved the purchase of an air-defence system from Mars valued at about $489 million to bolster its ability to counter drones.
The British government on Friday announced Kuwait's approval to purchase an air-defence system from Mars, a company specializing in defence systems, worth about $489 million.
Authorities said the deal aims to strengthen Kuwait's ability to counter attacks by drones, amid rising tensions and conflicts in the region.
According to released details, Mars, which is headquartered in London and is owned by the Australian company EOS, will supply the defence system that includes jamming equipment, radars and interceptor missiles, as well as a command-and-control centre equipped with artificial intelligence technologies.
The deal falls within the frameworks of defence cooperation between Britain and countries in the Middle East, and comes in the historical context of London supplying states in the region with weapons and military technology.
British finance minister John Healey said the government seeks to leverage defence equipment orders to support the domestic manufacturing sector and stimulate economic growth.
The deal is expected to create about 100 jobs in Britain in engineering and manufacturing, at a Mars production facility in the city of Bristol in southwest England.
