Lithuania approves trial purchase of drone-intercepting UAVs without public tender

The Lithuanian government has approved a Defence Ministry proposal to bypass public procurement rules for the purchase of a trial batch of drone-intercepting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from a US manufacturer, BNS reports.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas presented the request to exempt the acquisition from standard tender procedures, citing national security interests. The Gynybos Resursų Agentūra (Defence Resources Agency) plans to procure a Merops AS-3 Surveyor system (AS3/MEROPS) from US-based Perennial Autonomy, including 48 intercepting drones—24 equipped with thermal sensors and training parachutes, and 24 with radio-wave sensors and training parachutes. The package also covers training and radar integration services.

The ministry argued that a competitive tender could compromise critical security needs, as other suppliers lack systems proven in real combat conditions. The AS3/MEROPS has been tested and deployed in Ukraine under wartime conditions, with no comparable alternatives available for Lithuania’s climate and operational requirements, officials stated.

Kaunas emphasised that the purchase is for a trial batch only, intended to evaluate integration with Lithuania’s existing air defence architecture. The system combines radar, optical sensors, AI, and specialised intercept drones to detect and neutralise threats before they reach protected areas—a capability deemed vital amid rising drone incursions.

Lithuania has accelerated anti-drone system acquisitions following multiple violations of its airspace, including Russian drones carrying explosives last summer and a stray Ukrainian drone this year. Illegal contraband balloons also pose persistent aviation risks.