US anti-drone system MEROPS to be set up in Romania soon, army chief says

US-made anti-drone MEROPS system will be set up to defend Romanian airspace “very soon,” according to Romania’s Chief of the Defence Staff, general Gheorghiță Vlad.

Teams of operators have already been trained on the new system, and the MEROPS drone-combat system has been received, Vlad said during a press conference in Sibiu on Tuesday, January 20, alongside NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander of the United States European Command, Alexus G. Grynkewich, according to Agerpres.

The two officials visited the National Joint Training Center ‘Getica’ in Cincu after the press conference.

The MEROPS system proved effective in countering Russian drones during a test conducted in Poland in 2025. The technology, produced by a company backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, has also proven its effectiveness by shooting down Russian drones in Ukraine.

The anti-drone defense mechanism is NATO’s response to the Russian drone incursions that have been taking place in Eastern member states like Poland and Romania. At NATO’s recommendation, the two countries quickly purchased MEROPS systems to cover their short-term deficiencies.

MEROPS uses artificial intelligence to target enemy drones, and is just one of the many similar systems that NATO countries are testing in an attempt to accelerate the commissioning of new capabilities.

“The system is one of the most effective means of destroying Shahed drones launched by Russia,” declared in November 2025 the American general Curtis King near Nowa Dęba, in southeastern Poland. “We estimate that it is responsible for 40% of the drones shot down in Ukraine,” he added.

(Photo source: Headquarters Multinational Corps South-East on Facebook)