US Deploys LUCAS Attack Drone in Combat for First Time: Strikes Target Iran!

Officials from the U.S. Central Command have reported that recent airstrikes in Iran on Saturday marked the inaugural combat deployment of the U.S. military’s newly developed autonomous kamikaze drone.

This drone, known as the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System or LUCAS, was utilized during Operation Epic Fury. This operation aimed at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ command centers, Iranian air defense systems, missile and drone launch facilities, and military airfields, as per the announcements by CENTCOM officials.

“The president has mandated decisive actions, and our dedicated forces across all branches are responding effectively,” stated Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM, in a press release.

The LUCAS drone is modeled after the Iranian Shahed-136, employing reverse-engineering techniques.

Developed by SpektreWorks based in Arizona, the drone is capable of being deployed through various methods such as catapults, rocket-assisted takeoffs, and mobile ground systems. It is derived from SpektreWorks’ FLM 136 target model, which is specifically designed for counter-drone training to simulate the Iranian Shahed variant.

The FLM 136 model has an operational range of about 500 miles and can carry a maximum payload of 40 pounds, “which is approximately double the explosive power of a hellfire missile,” Alex Hollings, the host of Sandboxx News’ FirePower, pointed out.

Weighing in at 180 pounds for maximum takeoff, the FLM 136 is significantly lighter than its Iranian counterpart. Moreover, these platforms are much more affordable and scalable compared to other more sophisticated munitions in the U.S. arsenal, costing about $35,000 each.

In December, a LUCAS drone was successfully launched from a naval vessel for the first time. The operation was conducted aboard the USS Santa Barbara, an Independence-class littoral combat ship, during exercises in the Arabian Gulf, as previously disclosed by the Defense Department.

These troops belong to the newly established Task Force Scorpion Strike squadron, a unique one-way-attack drone squadron under the leadership of U.S. Special Operations Command-Central personnel.

“This new task force paves the way for leveraging innovation as a form of deterrence,” Cooper remarked in a December statement. “Arming our adept warfighters more swiftly with advanced drone technologies demonstrates the U.S. military’s innovative prowess and strength, serving as a deterrent to malign actors.”

The creation of this task force in December followed a directive by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier in the year titled “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance,” which called for the expedited acquisition and deployment of affordable autonomous systems across the armed services.

“To accurately replicate the modern battlefield, senior officials need to navigate past the bureaucratic tendency for risk aversion in aspects ranging from budget allocations to weapon deployment and training,” Hegseth noted in his July memorandum. “By next year, I anticipate this capability being integrated into all pertinent combat training scenarios, including force-on-force drone engagements.”

The Navy’s activities under the U.S. Central Command cover an area of about 2.5 million square miles, including the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.