Romania to Acquire MEROPS Counter-Drone System Proven in Ukraine

Romania will soon deploy the U.S.-made MEROPS counter-drone system, which has proven highly effective against Russian Shahed UAVs in Ukraine.

General Gheorghiță Vlad, Chief of the Defense Staff, announced this, according to Defense Romania.

He said the system will be quickly put into service to strengthen Romania’s airspace protection.

It should be noted that this American system is built on the Surveyor interceptor drones.

Currently, the Romanian military personnel who will operate the system are already completing their training.

“We have received the counter-drone system called MEROPS. We have trained teams to operate this system and will very soon deploy it in the airspace defense operation, which is currently underway in Romania,” Gheorghiță Vlad said.

Romania has become the second NATO country to acquire the MEROPS system. Last year, Poland also received such systems.

Clearly, the MEROPS system is set to become one of the comprehensive solutions NATO countries will use to strengthen the protection of European airspace against Russian long-range drones.

The MEROPS system has already proven its effectiveness in Ukraine against Russian Shahed/Geran‑2 drones. According to The Defense Post, as of November 2025, Ukrainian forces had shot down more than one thousand “Shahed‑type” UAVs using interceptor drones from this system.

A single system includes a ground control station, launchers, and interceptor drones.

The exact specifications of the system have not been disclosed; however, it is reported that the interceptor drone’s speed exceeds 280 kilometers per hour.

Surveyor anti-air drones can operate both autonomously and remotely. They are equipped with sensors for target tracking and carry a small warhead, which is nevertheless sufficient to destroy Shahed‑type drones.