Merops versus Shahed: the American drone-killer proves its effectiveness

---

In response to the growing threat of Russian drones in Ukraine, the American anti-drone system “Merops” has proven its combat efficiency on the ground, successfully intercepting more than one thousand Shahed-type drones.

This achievement prompted NATO to adopt the system quickly to strengthen its defensive capabilities and protect its airspace from any intrusion, according to the American website Business Insider.

• “Drone” and American Forces: Behind the Attack on “Kharab al-Jabir” in Syria

• Britain Strengthens Its Navy with Drones: 24 Unmanned Vehicles Worth £150 Million

Although still relatively new, the Merops anti-drone system continues to undergo testing by NATO operators. It has already recorded over one thousand successful interceptions of Russian Shahed drones in Ukraine, earning praise from Western officials.

Following a series of recent Russian incursions using drones, several NATO forces have begun deploying the system to protect Eastern Europe from future attacks.

Business Insider observed training exercises on Tuesday involving U.S., Polish and Romanian forces using the Merops system at a training site in southeastern Poland. These drills highlight how Western armies are integrating battle-tested anti-drone technologies into their defensive infrastructure.

• The Escalation of Confrontation: The Drone Crisis Exposes the Fragility of Iranian Diplomacy in Europe

• Is War Approaching? Venezuela Deploys Warships and Drones in Response to U.S. Moves

On the sidelines of the exercises, U.S. Army Brigadier General Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, stated that the Merops system had demonstrated “high effectiveness and strong capability to counter one-way attack drones in Ukraine”.

The system was developed under the U.S. initiative known as “Project Eagle”. It consists of a small ground control station, launch platforms and an interceptor drone

called “Surveyor”. Operating it requires a four-person team: a commander, a pilot and two technicians.

• German Army Preparing to Develop Long-Range Combat Drones

• The American Decision Fuels the Ukrainian Summer Fire… What to Do?

Training lasts only two weeks, significantly shorter than that required for more advanced weapon systems. The Surveyor drone can be remotely piloted or operate autonomously using thermal sensors, radio frequencies or radar to track its target. It reaches speeds of over 175 miles per hour, carries a small warhead and destroys enemy drones either by direct impact or by detonating near them.

Military officials note that the propeller-driven Surveyor is fast enough to intercept jet-powered drones, such as those Russia began using earlier this year.

• Nautilus: The American Beast That Wages War Beneath the Waves

• Stealth Fighter V: A European Birth Beyond the American Umbrella

The Surveyor is also resistant to electronic warfare, a major challenge for drone operators in Ukraine. It has intercepted more than 1,900 targets, including reconnaissance drones and attack drones, with typical engagements lasting only a few minutes.

Interceptor drones have emerged as a key air-defense tool for Ukraine in recent months as it confronts Russia’s expanded use of one-way attack drones such as the “Geran”, a domestically produced version of the Iranian-designed Shahed.

Estimates indicate that the Merops system is responsible for up to 40 percent of the Shahed drones shot down in Ukraine.

• Drone Revolution: The Ukraine War Reshapes U.S. Military Priorities

• “Hellfire” on Board: A New U.S. Tactic to Counter Drones

Ukraine’s defense industry produces hundreds of interceptor drones daily, a development closely monitored by NATO, which draws on Ukraine’s battlefield successes to shape Western strategic planning.

Although the United States, Poland and Romania took part in the Merops drills, only the latter two countries have acquired and deployed the system so far. NATO forces have not yet used it in real combat conditions.

The Merops system provides Ukraine with a cost-effective means of neutralizing relatively inexpensive drones, helping preserve critical missile stockpiles in anticipation of large-scale Russian attacks.

• NGAD: The American Sixth-Generation Fighter between Domination and Financial Drain

• Washington Accuses Two Individuals of Supplying Weapons to Iran That Killed 3 Americans

Western commanders have stressed the need for comparable capabilities, particularly after NATO aircraft were forced to fire extremely costly air-to-air missiles at cheap Russian drones that violated Polish airspace.

The Surveyor interceptor drone costs around 15,000 US dollars and is designed to be far cheaper than the threats it counters. By comparison, an older Shahed drone costs around 35,000 dollars.

• Russia and Ukraine Exchange Records in the Drone Warfare

• The Pentagon is “powerless” against mysterious drones… Unchecked intrusions over a U.S. base