► MARSS selected as Command-and-Control provider for BAE Systems’ BATS – a next-generation, Counter-UAS capability

MARSS, the global defence technology leader, has been selected by BAE Systems’ Digital Intelligence business to provide the Command and Control (C2) solution for its Counter-UAS (CUAS) systems. The agreement was confirmed live at Eurosatory, on day two of the show, where the two companies’ leadership met to complete the signing.

The NiDAR platform will serve as the intelligent nerve centre for BAE Systems’ Anti Threat System (BATS) – its most advanced and scalable Counter-UAS capability to date, integrating its full suite of sensors and effectors into a seamless protective capability.

The selection underscores MARSS’ position as one of the only companies with the specialised expertise required to deliver an advanced AI-powered C2 platform that accelerates decision-making from minutes to seconds across detection, classification, and defeat. This capability positions MARSS as the ideal partner to support BAE Systems as it delivers market-leading CUAS solutions to meet the growing demand from NATO and international clients.

In selecting NiDAR as its C2 provider, BAE Systems gains access to proven C2 technology with more than 60 deployments worldwide and two decades of operational experience protecting critical infrastructure, military assets, and lives across the globe.

Rob Balloch, Chief Growth Officer at MARSS, and Louise Heywood, Head of Strategy at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, met at Eurosatory to formally sign the agreement and mark the start of the collaboration.

“MARSS is delighted to have been selected to provide the C2 system for BAE Systems BATS programme,” said Balloch. “This agreement exemplifies how agile, technology-focused SMEs can support tier-one defence primes to deliver world-leading capabilities at the pace demanded by current threats.

“BAE Systems’ BATS programme represents an important development in the CUAS market, and NiDAR will play integral role in its offering. The AI-powered platform delivers the rapid threat detection, classification, and coordinated response essential for countering asymmetric threats – reducing the decision cycle from minutes to seconds and empowering operators to defend against single drones, coordinated attacks, and swarm threats.”

NiDAR’s sensor and effector-agnostic architecture seamlessly integrates with both legacy systems and next-generation hardware, providing the flexibility needed to adapt to evolving threats and customer specifications. MARSS is working to ensure that all the sensors and effectors are fully integrated into NiDAR as they come online.

Louise Heywood commented, “Technology that helps you identify a threat quickly and accurately isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline. That’s why developing the capabilities to counter hostile uncrewed threats, especially drones, matters so much to us, and why choosing the right command-and-control partner for BATS was a critical decision. This is exactly the kind of collaboration needed to deliver a resilient, layered defence against today’s dynamic uncrewed threat landscape.”

MARSS will provide both software licensing and technical support for BAE Systems’ Counter-UAS demonstrations and deployments. The long-term agreement positions BAE Systems to address the growing global demand for integrated Counter-UAS solutions.