NATO Countries Race to Acquire MEROPS as a Lifeline Against Drones

30th September 2026

3 minutes read

NATO Countries Race to Acquire MEROPS as a Lifeline Against Drones

Several NATO member states are purchasing the US-made MEROPS system, which has reportedly succeeded in shooting down thousands of Russian drones in Ukraine.

A US defence official told Business Insider that a growing number of NATO countries were acquiring the MEROPS counter-drone system after it demonstrated its effectiveness in Ukraine. The purchases come as allies seek to strengthen their defences against repeated airspace incursions.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said at least six countries had either purchased MEROPS or were in the process of doing so. Most of them are NATO members located on the alliance’s eastern flank.

A source close to Perennial Autonomy, the US defence company that manufactures MEROPS and other drones used in Ukraine, also confirmed substantial interest in the counter-drone system across NATO’s eastern flank.

In November 2025, only three NATO countries were operating MEROPS. The newly disclosed sales, which had not previously been announced, highlight growing US and European interest in low-cost interceptor drones.

The MEROPS system consists of a radar, a launch platform, a ground-control station and a $15,000 interceptor capable of reaching speeds above 175 miles per hour.

The interceptor uses artificial intelligence to navigate through areas affected by intensive electronic warfare, a common battlefield challenge in Ukraine.

It can be launched from flexible and mobile positions, including the bed of a pick-up truck. The interceptor destroys its targets either through direct impact or by detonating nearby. A small crew can operate the entire system after only a few days of training.

MEROPS was first deployed in Ukraine, where it has reportedly been used to shoot down thousands of Russian drones, including armed attack aircraft. Western military officials have praised the system’s proven performance in the war.

Poland and Romania purchased and deployed MEROPS after Russian drones violated NATO airspace in September 2025. Lithuania announced plans in April 2026 to acquire an initial batch for testing.

The US military was among the system’s earliest operators and deployed it in the Middle East at the beginning of the war with Iran.

MEROPS is considerably cheaper than many other counter-drone systems in the US arsenal. A single interceptor costing $15,000 can destroy a drone worth twice as much, allowing military forces to reserve more advanced and expensive missiles for complex threats.

Growing interest in MEROPS among NATO countries forms part of a broader effort to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank, which stretches from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Member states across the region are investing in sensors, interceptors and other counter-drone technologies.

NATO’s eastern flank has experienced a marked increase in airspace violations in recent months. Western officials have blamed Russia for the drone incursions, which frequently force allied countries to dispatch expensive fighter aircraft in response.

Sending pilots in crewed fighter jets to pursue inexpensive drones with costly air-to-air missiles is not an ideal solution. NATO countries have therefore been seeking more affordable ways to counter these aircraft.

A US defence official said allies on NATO’s eastern flank were also purchasing additional counter-drone technologies alongside MEROPS, but did not identify the systems involved.