US Downs Shahed with Ukraine-Tested Merops Drone

The US military has achieved its first combat interception using the Merops drone system, downing an Iranian Shahed-type drone in Kuwait after the technology underwent extensive battlefield testing in Ukraine, Business Insider reported, citing an informed source. According to the Businenss Insider, the interception this week marks the first operational use of the technology by American forces to destroy a target.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The system, developed by the US initiative Project Eagle, provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive anti-aircraft missiles when countering relatively cheap strike drones. Prior to its operational use by US forces in the Middle East, the Merops system was heavily tested in Ukraine. Business Insider noted that Ukrainian military personnel utilized the system to successfully destroy over 1,000 Shahed-type drones launched by Russian forces. The Merops complex consists of a radar, a launcher, a ground control station, and an interceptor drone that currently costs approximately $15,000 per unit. Capable of reaching speeds exceeding 280 kilometers per hour, the interceptor utilizes artificial intelligence to maintain functionality in environments with active electronic warfare. The drone neutralizes its target either through a direct collision or a proximity detonation. According to the report, the system requires a minimal crew and operators can be trained within a few days to fly the drone using standard Xbox controllers. Other Topics of Interest Russian Drone Swarm Strikes Four Gas Stations, Fire Station in Poltava Region Russian forces struck four gas stations and a fire station in the central Poltava region during a massive assault early Saturday morning, July 25, involving 157 attack drones. The US Army initially deployed the Merops system to the Middle East in March. US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll stated that Washington ordered thousands of the interceptors following the escalation of regional tensions with Iran, adding that increased production volume could bring the per-unit cost below $10,000. Following the system’s operational validation in Ukraine, Poland and Romania procured the technology, and Lithuania has announced its intention to purchase the interceptors. Defense technology integration The combat deployment of Merops is part of a broader integration of new anti-drone technologies and international defense cooperation in the Middle East. In April, US military had begun utilizing the Ukrainian-developed “Sky Map” anti-drone technology platform at the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Ukrainian military personnel traveled to the base to train US forces on the system, which aggregates data from various radars and sensors into a single dashboard to track incoming threats. The early testing of the Merops interceptors – backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt – was also conducted at the Saudi air base, though the system reportedly encountered difficulties during those initial phases before its successful deployment in Kuwait. The technological integration follows Ukraine signing 10-year defense export agreements with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as Kyiv expands its cooperation with Middle Eastern partners on drone warfare and integrated air-defense systems. President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously stated that Russian forces utilize satellite surveillance to monitor Western military facilities and share that intelligence with Iran to coordinate strikes on US and allied assets in the region. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.