Romania has conducted operational trials of the Merops AI-enabled counter-drone system at the Capu Midia Air Defence Training Range on the Black Sea coast. According to officials, the system may enter active service within days following the completion of evaluations. Merops includes ground control stations, launch modules, and Surveyor interceptor drones that use radar inputs and autonomous AI functions to detect, track, and neutralize aerial threats. Testing lasted two weeks and also involved broader assessments of radars, sensors, electronic warfare tools, and current Romanian air defense assets. During the trials, one interceptor reportedly missed due to target maneuvering, but the system otherwise demonstrated accurate detection, strong thermal imaging performance, and dependable targeting capability. Romania plans to use the system to strengthen security along the Danube corridor, an area increasingly exposed to spillover risks from the war in Ukraine. The country has faced repeated incursions of Russian drones crossing into its airspace during attacks near the shared border. The Merops platform is already in use in Ukraine and is also undergoing testing in Poland under NATO eastern flank defense efforts.
