US scores first Iranian Shahed kill with Merops counter-drone system in Kuwait

American forces shot down an Iranian Shahed drone in the Middle East this week using an interceptor drone proven in Ukraine, a US official told Business Insider on Friday.

The engagement marks the first time that American troops have used the US-made Merops system to intercept a hostile drone in combat. Ukraine has used it to down more than 1,000 Russian Shaheds. Several Eastern European countries have purchased and deployed the system.

Growing Role of Drones in Modern Warfare

Drones are playing an increasingly central role in warfare, as conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown over the past few years, creating more demand for low-cost interception systems.

Details of the Interception

US Army soldiers in Kuwait recorded at least one interception of an Iranian Shahed — a type of exploding one-way attack drone — this week, the US official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military developments.

The US and Iran have been trading fire for weeks following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire. American forces have bombed Iranian military sites, while Tehran has launched drones and missiles across the Middle East, targeting countries that host US bases.

A US official told Business Insider last week that American forces had intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles and drones since the fighting restarted earlier this month. Some Iranian weapons, however, have found their mark. At least four US service members have been killed and nearly 100 more injured this month.

The Merops System

The Army deployed the Merops system to the Middle East in March, at the start of the Iran war, along with troops to operate it. American personnel have been training to use it in the weeks since.

Merops, made by the US initiative Project Eagle, consists of:

• A radar
• Launcher
• Ground control system
• A $15,000 interceptor that can reach speeds of over 175 mph

The interceptor can use artificial intelligence to navigate areas saturated with electronic warfare. Merops is operated by a small crew that can be trained in just a few days. The interceptor, which destroys Shaheds by colliding with them or exploding in proximity, is piloted using off-the-shelf Xbox controllers.

Cost-Effective Defense

The interceptor is cheaper than many other counter-drone systems in the Pentagon's arsenal, and at $15,000 apiece, it offers the US a cost-effective way to down Shaheds without expending its far more expensive missiles.

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told lawmakers in April that the service purchased thousands of interceptors after the Iran war began and said he hopes the price will drop below $10,000 apiece as production scales up.

Growing International Interest

The Army's Merops acquisition underscores the US and its NATO allies' growing interest in cheap interceptor drones, which have been used with resounding success in Ukraine. The Merops system was first deployed to Ukraine, and by November 2025, it had already intercepted more than 1,000 Russian Shahed-type drones.

Poland and Romania purchased Merops following Russian incursions into NATO airspace in September 2025. Lithuania said in April that it intends to purchase the system, becoming the latest ally on the Eastern flank to do so.