Counter-UAS in Romania: US system Merops operational and integrated into the army

Made operational and integrated into the defence system of the Romanian Army: this is what the press office of the Romanian Ministry of National Defence reports about the Merops counter-UAS system. The United States had provided it under the bilateral strategic partnership with Romania.

The impetus came from planning that General Gheorghiță Vlad, Chief of the Romanian General Staff, had already initiated in January of this year. He also coordinated the training of the military crews who are to operate the new interception system.

Merops is a modern technological solution built on artificial intelligence algorithms. It was developed to detect, track and neutralise small aerial targets at low altitudes. According to the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, the integration is intended to strengthen the Romanian Armed Forces' ability to detect and counter threats from unmanned aircraft systems; at the same time, it complements the measures already protecting national airspace.

The Merops system is likely to have been brought to Romania as early as last autumn. For several months, reports had said that it was operational but not yet integrated into the air defence system.

Counter-UAS with Leonardo radar and low-cost interceptors

The launchers have been equipped with the RPS-42 multi-mission radar from manufacturer Leonardo – as part of the architecture that the US Army has tested and validated on the eastern flank. Using AESA technology, the radar monitors the airspace and provides precise coordinates within a radius of 30 kilometres. The great tactical advantage of the Merops platform is that its operations are financially sustainable: a single interceptor costs around 12,700 euros. This largely removes the cost asymmetry that arises when conventional surface-to-air missiles are used against kamikaze drones.

Combat-proven on the front line in Ukraine

What the system can do is based not on simulations but on real combat use. According to reports, Merops has shown high operational effectiveness on the front line in Ukraine in destroying Shahed drones of the Russian invasion forces. US military officials estimate that 40 per cent of all drones of this type destroyed by Ukrainian air defence can be attributed to this system.

A Romanian military publication draws the following conclusion: with Merops in the national defence architecture, the Romanian Army gains a combat-proven capability. This is necessary to repel unauthorised intrusions and to protect national airspace against new threats from unmanned aircraft systems.