MARSS Powers DAMITA: UAE’s First Fully Integrated CUAS

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MARSS Powers DAMITA: UAE’s First Fully Integrated CUAS

MARSS is proud to announce its integral role in DAMITA, the UAE’s first fully indigenous integrated counter-drone and air-defence system.

Developed by Calidus in partnership with leading global technology providers, MARSS and EOS, DAMITA represents a landmark achievement for the Emirates and its rapidly expanding defence industry. The system is already attracting international interest, with discussions underway to support South Korea's counter-UAS requirements.

At the core of DAMITA is MARSS’ combat-proven NiDAR AI Command & Control (C2), which provides the system’s decision-making engine, sensor fusion, and autonomous kill-chain management. NiDAR integrates and synchronises multi-domain sensors and effectors to deliver machine-speed detection, classification, and engagement of evolving air threats including drones, autonomous UAVs, and swarms.

“DAMITA sets a new benchmark for integrated air defence,” said Johannes Pinl, Founder and CEO of MARSS. “Our NiDAR AI C2 transforms a sophisticated suite of sensors and effectors into a unified, autonomous defensive ecosystem – reducing operator burden while accelerating decision-making at machine speed.”

“We are delighted to collaborate with Calidus on a programme of such national significance. DAMITA showcases the power of partnership - bringing together world-class industrial capability and MARSS’ proven NiDAR AI to create one of the most advanced integrated counter-UAS solutions available today.”

NiDAR: Delivering DAMITA’S Autonomous Intelligence

As one of the world’s most operationally validated C-UAS platforms, NiDAR AI C2 enables DAMITA to act as a unified defensive ecosystem. Its capabilities include:

  • AI-driven sensor fusion across radar, RF, EO/IR, laser, and gun-based sensors 
  • Autonomous target classification, including drones, autonomous UAVs, and swarms 
  • Machine-speed kill-chain automation 
  • On-the-move detection and engagement 
  • A single-operator control concept that reduces cognitive burden 

NiDAR’s performance is underpinned by extensive real-world validation, including deployments with Echodyne’s Echoshield radar across multiple continents. MARSS is also integrating NiDAR with Rheinmetall air-defence systems, contributing additional cross-platform interoperability and strengthening DAMITA’s multi-layered design.

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A Fully Integrated System with Global Potential

DAMITA combines MARSS' NiDAR intelligence with precision sensors and effectors from global leaders - including EOS’ high-energy laser technology, Robin Radar’s IRIS 3D radar, an advanced optronic system from OpenWorks Engineering, wide-band RF scanning and jamming from Aaronia, and a Rheinmetall Skyranger 35 hard-kill turret with AHEAD/KETF munitions - to form a fully unified and autonomous system.

NiDAR is also integrated with the UAE-produced 100 kW high-energy laser, with a 150kW variant under development.

Celebrating a National Milestone

DAMITA represents a historic transformation for the UAE - marking the nation's evolution from a defence importer to an advanced defence exporter with indigenous development and manufacturing capabilities. The system demonstrates that the UAE is no longer dependent on imported counter-drone systems from Korea, Europe, or the United States, but has achieved the capability to independently develop, manufacture, and export world-class air-defence technology.

Importantly, DAMITA stands as one of the few counter-drone systems globally that can be offered with comprehensive offset packages. This positions the UAE not simply as a supplier of finished systems, but as a strategic defence partner capable of supporting industrial cooperation and sovereign capability development in customer nations. 

"The UAE is no longer confined to being a defence importer, but has emerged as a nation capable of developing, manufacturing, and exporting world-class counter-drone systems – and DAMITA is proof of that transformation," added Pinl. "We, at MARSS, are immensely proud to support the UAE in realising this defining milestone."

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