New system to take down Russian drones to be deployed to NATO's eastern flank, AP Explains

(6 Nov 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Warsaw, Poland – 10 September 2025
1. Various of Warsaw airport

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
London, UK – 06 November 2025
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, The Associated Press:
“Poland and Romania are deploying a new weapons system -- backed by the former Google CEO Eric Schmidt -- to defend against Russian drones. Hostile military drones have entered NATO airspace and unidentified drone sightings near airports and military bases in Denmark, Germany and Belgium have put Europe on edge. In September, around 20 Russian drones flew into Polish airspace, and part of a house was damaged. Multimillion dollar jets were scrambled to respond to the drones, which cost tens of thousands of dollars. The American Merops system being used in Poland and Romania is cheaper than deploying a fighter pilot, and uses drones to attack drones. It's been tested in Ukraine, is small enough to fit in the back of a pickup truck, and can accurately detect drones and counter them, using AI to navigate when communications are jammed. Denmark is also going to use the technology, NATO military officials said. The deployment, they said, is the first part of a broader plan to make NATO's border with Russia so well-armed that Moscow’s forces will be deterred from ever contemplating crossing.”
++INCLUDES SHOTS 1, 3 TO 11++

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Wyryki, Poland – 11 September 2025
3. Wide of damaged house and firetruck
4. Wide of damaged car and rubble

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Wohyn, Poland – 10 September 2025
5. Wide of officials inspecting remains of Russian drone

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Volkel Airbase, Netherlands – 21 October 2025
6. Wide of fighter jet taking off
7. Wide of fighter jet flying past camera

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Kyiv, Ukraine – 31 July 2025
8. Wide of Kyiv skyline at night with lights from explosions from drone attack

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland – 17 September 2025
9. Wide of Danish soldiers training
10. Wide of Danish fighter jet rolling past camera
11. Close of fighter jet canopy
STORYLINE:
Poland and Romania are deploying a new weapons system to defend against Russian drones, following a spate of incursions into NATO airspace in recent months that exposed the alliance’s vulnerabilities and put Europe on edge.

The American Merops system, which is small enough to fit in the back of a midsize pickup truck, can identify drones and close in on them, using artificial intelligence to navigate when satellite and electronic communications are jammed.

As well as being deployed in Poland and Romania, Merops will also be used by Denmark, NATO military officials told The Associated Press, part of a move to boost defenses on the alliance’s eastern flank.

The aim is to make the border with Russia so well-armed that Moscow's forces will be deterred from ever contemplating crossing, from Norway in the north to Turkey in the south, the officials said.

The need for such technology became acute after around 20 Russian drones flew into Polish airspace in early September.

Multimillion-dollar jets were scrambled to respond to drones which cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Romania later faced a drone incursion, while drones temporarily closed airports in Copenhagen, Munich, Berlin and Brussels.

There were also sightings near military bases in Belgium and Denmark.

While the origin of the drones could not always be traced to Russia or linked to its war in Ukraine, the urgent need to bolster defenses is clear.




AP production by Philipp Jenne



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