Merops Drone Interceptor to Begin Production in Germany

🔑 Enhanced Key Takeaways

• •The Merops system, built around the "Surveyor" interceptor drone, was developed by Perennial Autonomy, a U.S. defense firm formerly known as Project Eagle and initially White Stork, a venture launched by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in 2023.
• •The U.S. Army rapidly acquired approximately 13,000 Merops interceptors within eight days after Iran began launching drones at U.S. positions in late February 2026, deploying them to the Middle East to counter Iranian Shahed-136 munitions.
• •Each Merops interceptor costs about $15,000, offering a significant cost advantage over the $30,000 to $50,000 Shahed drones it intercepts, with potential for prices to drop to $3,000-$5,000 per unit with increased production.
• •Beyond Ukraine and Iran, the Merops system has been deployed by NATO allies, including Poland, Romania, and Lithuania, with Lithuania purchasing 48 Merops interceptors in April 2026 to strengthen its air defenses along the alliance's eastern flank.
• •The Merops system is designed for rapid deployment from mobile platforms, such as pickup trucks, and can be operated by a small, four-person crew (commander, pilot, two technicians) after only two weeks of training.

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