Lithuania seeks to bypass public procurement for trial batch of drone interceptors

Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence has requested government approval to purchase a trial batch of drone interceptors from a US manufacturer without following standard public procurement procedures, LRT reports.

The ministry, led by Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas, aims to acquire 48 Merops AS-3 Surveyor (AS3/MEROPS) interceptors—24 units with thermal seekers and training parachutes, and 24 with radio-frequency seekers—along with training and radar integration services. The system, produced by US-based Perennial Autonomy, would be procured as a test batch to assess compatibility with Lithuania’s existing air defence architecture.

In a submission to the government, the ministry argued that a standard tender process could prioritise cost over “vital national security interests,” risking selection of a supplier unable to meet Lithuania’s defence needs. The AS3/MEROPS system has already been field-tested in Ukraine under combat conditions and is deemed uniquely suited to Lithuania’s climate and operational requirements, according to the ministry.

The proposed purchase follows recent security incidents, including two Russian drones entering Lithuanian airspace last summer—one carrying explosives—as well as a stray Ukrainian drone and repeated encounters with smuggling balloons posing aviation risks. The ministry emphasised that the AS3/MEROPS combines radar, optical sensors, AI, and intercept drones to detect and neutralise threats before they reach protected areas, a capability deemed critical amid rising drone threats in modern conflicts.

If approved, the trial batch would allow Lithuania to evaluate the system’s effectiveness before potential wider adoption. The ministry stressed that no alternative supplier offers a comparable, combat-proven solution.