&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "How the Merops anti-drone system could counter Iranian shahed drones?")
The US is planning to deploy the Merops anti-drone system to counter Iranian Shahed Drones. The American anti-drone system was employed in Ukraine to counter threats from Russian Shahed Drones. This is the first time it will be used in the war in Iran. The US already has Patriot and THAAD missile defence systems, but they have not been efficient, especially due to the version of the drones, which are usually not as advanced as Russian-made drones.
What is the Merops anti-drone system?
Merops is an AI-powered anti-drone system developed by the US. It is cheaper compared to the Shahed Drones, each costing around $15,000. The drone is small and can be fitted on the back of a pickup truck. It uses artificial intelligence to navigate when satellite and electronic communications are jammed. It flies at the speed of 175 mph. The system uses a ~3-foot, fixed-wing "Surveyor" interceptor drone, which contains a small warhead and detonates at the target.
Why does the US need the Merops anti-drone system?
According to a US official, the US response to countering Iranian Shahed Drone systems has been "disappointing.". These drones are cheaper and harder to detect, making them a serious threat to the US assets in the regions. Drones are hard to pinpoint on radar systems, which are calibrated for missiles; they are mistaken for birds or planes. The Gulf countries in the region have complained they were not given enough time to prepare. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said that Washington sought Ukraine’s help in dealing with Iranian Shahed drones used by Russia during the war.
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Pentagon officials have briefed Congress that they are having trouble dealing with waves of drones launched by drones, leaving them vulnerable. "This does not mean we can stop everything, but we ensured that the maximum possible defence and maximum possible force protection was set up before we went on offence," said the US Secretary of Defence to the reporters.
Each Shahed drone can cost around $20,000-$50,000 where as per THAAD interceptor missile costs around $12.8-$15.5 million. Though these systems have a better interception rate, but does not have 100 per cent efficiency. A NYT report indicated that Iran has fired over 2,000 drones so far, which are. The UAE and other countries with missile defence systems have reported a roughly 90-96 per cent interception rate, which means a minimum of 80-200 drones have hit the target.
