The U.S. military has used LUCAS kamikaze drones in combat for the first time, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Saturday. The ground-launched drones were deployed by Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS), a unit established in December to “flip the script on Iran,” according to a U.S. official at the time.
The move marks a rare instance of the U.S. adopting and turning Iran’s own drone playbook against it. The LUCAS system is based on Iran’s Shahed-136 one-way attack drone, which U.S. officials said was reverse-engineered after the military obtained an example of the Iranian design.
“Costing approximately $35,000 per platform, LUCAS is a low-cost, scalable system that provides cutting-edge capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional long-range U.S. systems that can deliver similar effects,”
Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said in December. Compared to conventional missiles — which are more expensive and slower to produce — LUCAS offers a cheaper and more rapidly scalable strike option.
CENTCOM says the drone has extensive range, can operate beyond line of sight, and is capable of autonomous operations. Its design supports coordinated swarm tactics and network-centric strikes. LUCAS can be launched using multiple methods, including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground or vehicle systems.
While the drones used against Iran were launched from the ground, U.S. Navy personnel previously test-fired one from the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara shortly after TFSS was formed.
According to U.S. officials, the LUCAS “pretty much follows the Shahed design,” but is now being produced in cooperation with American companies focused on rapid innovation and scalable manufacturing.
Source: The War Zone
See also: US Unveils Shahed Knock-Off
