Lithuania is buying the American-made Merops counter-drone system.
AI Analysis
Lithuania is procuring the American-made Merops counter-drone system, joining Poland and Romania in adopting this technology. Merops, developed under Project Eagle, has demonstrated effectiveness in Ukraine, intercepting over 1,000 drones, and is currently deployed in the Middle East by the US Army. The system utilizes the AS3 Surveyor interceptor drone, operated with simplified controls and AI-assisted navigation.
Key Takeaways
- Lithuania is accelerating procurement of Merops via a streamlined process, citing the need to counter drone threats.
- Merops interceptors cost approximately $15,000 per unit and target drones like the Iranian Shahed-136 and its Russian variant.
- The US Army has deployed dozens of Merops systems and over 1,000 interceptors to the Middle East, with further shipments planned.
- Merops is a mobile, flexible system that can be launched from platforms like pickup trucks and operated by a small, rapidly trained crew.
- The Surveyor interceptor utilizes off-the-shelf Xbox controllers and AI for navigation, achieving speeds over 175 mph and employing kinetic or proximity detonation for target destruction.
Why It Matters
This acquisition highlights a growing NATO focus on cost-effective counter-drone solutions as traditional air defense systems are expensive and may not be suitable for countering swarms of low-cost drones. The demonstrated success of Merops in Ukraine and the Middle East validates interceptor drone technology as a viable defense against modern drone warfare tactics. The rapid deployment and simplified operation of Merops offer a significant advantage for bolstering air defenses along NATO's eastern flank.
Lithuania is buying the American-made Merops counter-drone system. – Global Defense Corp
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Lithuania said Wednesday that it is buying the American-made Merops counter-drone system.
Merops has been battle-tested in Ukraine and was also recently deployed to the Middle East.
Another NATO ally is acquiring an American-made interceptor drone that has been battle-tested in Ukraine. The move will boost the alliance’s air defenses along the Russian border.
Lithuania’s national defense ministry announced Wednesday that it is purchasing the Merops system to strengthen its air defenses, adding that Vilnius “has approved a simplified process: bureaucracy and lengthy procurement must not stand in the way.”
Merops is a counter-drone system that launches a small interceptor, costing $15,000 apiece, to hunt down and destroy targets such as the Iranian Shahed-136 or its Russian-made variant, the Geran-2.
What It Takes To Be An Army Drone PilotDeveloped by the American initiative Project Eagle, Merops was first deployed to Ukraine, where it has intercepted more than 1,000 strike drones launched by Russian forces.
Last year, Poland, an ally on NATO’s eastern flank that shares a border with Russian territory, and Romania, which, like Poland, borders Ukraine, purchased and deployed the Merops system after Russian drone incursions into alliance airspace. Lithuania is now the third European ally to acknowledge purchasing the system.
Lithuania’s national defense ministry did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s queries on how many Merops systems and interceptors it plans to purchase.
Merops is flexible — interceptor drones launch from mobile platforms like a pickup truck or from ground stations — and can be operated by a small crew trained in days.
A Polish Army soldier launches an AS3 Surveyor interceptor drone, part of the MEROPS US counter-drone system, during a live-fire demonstration at the Deba training grounds in Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, on November 18, 2025.
Merops is designed to be flexible and can launch from the bed of a pickup truck. Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesSoldiers use off-the-shelf Xbox controllers to operate the Surveyor, a propeller-powered interceptor that can reach over 175 mph and uses artificial intelligence to navigate areas saturated with electronic warfare. It can destroy targets by colliding with them or exploding in proximity.
Lithuania’s acquisition of Merops comes as NATO’s front-line forces are seeking ways to reduce