The Romanian Armed Forces are preparing to bring the Merops counter-drone system into operational service following its reported success against Russian Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to Romania’s Chief of the Defence Staff, an initial group of operators is currently being trained on the system, which has already been acquired to address the growing threat posed by Russian drone attacks.
Merops has been deployed in Ukraine, where it has attracted attention from NATO allies after reportedly achieving more than 1,000 interceptions of Shahed-type drones. The system is also undergoing evaluation by Polish forces under a NATO initiative aimed at reinforcing the alliance’s eastern flank.
Romanian media reports indicate that the system demonstrated strong performance during trials, including successful engagements against Shahed drone replicas.
Merops was developed by U.S. startup Project Eagle, which was launched in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the former chief executive of Google.
The system combines a ground control station, a mobile launch platform, and the high-speed Surveyor interceptor drone into an integrated counter-UAS solution. The interceptor is launched from the rear of a military truck and uses a mix of sensors and artificial intelligence to detect, track, and neutralize hostile drones.
Capable of carrying an explosive payload, the Surveyor interceptor can reach speeds of up to 282 kilometers per hour (175 mph), destroying targets via direct impact or proximity detonation.
Each interceptor is estimated to cost around $15,000, significantly less than the roughly $35,000 price of an Iranian-designed Shahed drone, making Merops a cost-effective and attritable option for countering mass drone attacks.
The complete system can be operated by a four-person team — a commander, a pilot, and two technicians — with training reportedly taking as little as two weeks.
