Senior Commanders tell Kyiv Post troop adjustments will not weaken commitments as counter-UAS programs accelerate.

WASHINGTON, DC – US Army commanders said on Tuesday they are accelerating efforts to field new counter-drone systems across NATO’s eastern flank, emphasizing that troop rotations or adjustments in Europe will not weaken US commitment to regional deterrence as drone incursions persist.

Speaking during a State Department Brussels Hub virtual briefing, Brigadier General Curtis King, commander of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, and Colonel Christopher Hill, director of the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (GTEAD), detailed how new US counter-UAS initiatives are being driven by lessons from Ukraine and executed in close coordination with NATO allies.

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Brig. Gen. King highlighted two recent demonstrations – a counter-UAS training event in Poland (on Nov. 10) and the FlyTrap 4.5 competition in Germany – that showcased the Army’s ability to bring new battlefield technologies directly to troops within weeks.

In Poland, US, Polish, and Romanian soldiers trained on the MEROPS mobile counter-UAS system, produced by US firm Napatree and previously used by Ukrainian forces.

The system employs radar, electro-optical sensors, and interceptor drones to destroy targets simulating Russia’s Shahed one-way attack drones.

Brig. Gen. King said MEROPS provides a lethal, mobile, and cost-effective option, costing roughly one-tenth the price of the Shaheds it is designed to neutralize.

In Germany, 11 industry finalists tested sensors, software, and effectors designed to detect and defeat drones. Four companies were selected for follow-on work, Col. Hill said, adding that they left equipment with US troops for continued evaluation.

Col. Hill described FlyTrap 4.5 as the Army’s most successful demonstration of “soldier-led acquisition,” shortening integration timelines from months to days by having engineers and soldiers work side-by-side in the field.