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Demonstrating the Future of Command and Control: MARSS at BattleLab

Smarter, faster, and future-ready – MARSS returns to Battlelab to demonstrate NiDAR, its next generation C2 platform.

A new vision for deployable air defence

MARSS has returned to the Defence BattleLab in Dorset to demonstrate the power of NiDAR at the heart of future C2 systems for deployable air defences. The event formed part of an evaluation process for LAND GBAD – the UK MOD programme focused on short-to-medium-range ground-based air defence for land forces.

Unlike the showcase event in 2023, this year's session was a more focused and technical exercise – hosted by the MOD’s JSENS project team – with MARSS invited to show how NiDAR could fulfil future requirements for battlefield C2.

The demonstration focused on simulated scenarios designed to test NiDAR’s effectiveness as a next-generation C2 platform. Without focusing on sensor hardware, the exercise demonstrated how NiDAR handles the core of air defence operations – detection, tracking, threat classification, and rapid coordination of the response – with minimal operator input.

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“We set out to show what’s possible – how NiDAR enables a modern, dynamic C2 architecture that’s intuitive, scalable and dramatically reduces the burden on operators,”

– Mike Collier, Business Development with MARSS.

Smarter air defence: how NiDAR transforms C2

NiDAR is designed to simplify the complexity of today’s threat environment – particularly the growing challenge posed by low-cost, highly mobile, unmanned aerial systems (UAS). As a modular, sensor-agnostic C2 platform, NiDAR fuses data from a huge range of sources – including radar, RF detection, EO/IR, and more – into a single tactical picture. Its AI-driven engine then automates threat detection, tracking, classification and response coordination, enabling operators to act faster and more decisively, all through a single intuitive interface.

During the simulation, NiDAR was evaluated against a series of scenarios replicating the detect–track–identify chain, before handing over to a fire control system. Though the inputs were simulated, the platform’s operations were real – showing how NiDAR can significantly reduce operator burden and accelerate decision-making in high-pressure scenarios.

Importantly, NiDAR’s user-friendly interface was highlighted as a key strength. Unlike traditional C2 systems that require extensive manpower and training, NiDAR is designed to be operable by a single user – making it ideally suited for deployed operations.

“The difference in approach was clear,” added Mike. “While current C2 platforms still rely on highly trained operators to manage sensors, interpret data and build situation awareness for command, NiDAR showed what a future-ready C2 can – and should – look like.”

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Building on past success

This latest session builds on MARSS’ previous success at BattleLab in 2023, when MARSS demonstrated NiDAR’s Counter-UAS capabilities in live flight scenarios. That event showed how NiDAR can autonomously detect, track, classify and manage aerial threats significantly faster than traditional C2 systems.  This finding was expanded during this year’s simulation-based event, with the seamless linking of visual tracking and engagements demonstrating the simplicity and effectiveness of NiDAR. .

As the LAND GBAD programme continues to define its parameters, MARSS is poised to position NiDAR as the core integration layer – seamlessly connecting sensors, effectors and end-users to deliver a unified, responsive C2 ready for front-line deployments.

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