US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
US Sets up One-Way Attack Drone Squadron in the Middle East After Reverse-Engineering Iranian Drone
The U.S. launched its first squadron using $35,000 LUCAS drones to counter two years of Iranian proxy attacks and enhance regional strike capabilities.
- On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command announced Task Force Scorpion Strike will oversee the first one-way LUCAS drone squadron in the Middle East, officials said.
- Having faced continuous drone attacks by Iran and its proxies over the last two years, the U.S. military launched roughly 170 drones and more than 120 ballistic missiles toward Israel in 2024, accelerating drone development in recent months.
- SpektreWorks built the LUCAS drones after reverse-engineering a delta-winged Shahed-136 drone obtained several years ago; the captured Shahed was damaged and the $35,000 drones launch autonomously from catapults, rockets, or mobile systems, officials said.
- A joint special operations unit under CENTCOM will operate the squadron, with Task Force Scorpion Strike managing nearly two dozen personnel led by Special Operations Command – Central.
- The deployment underscores broader battlefield shifts, as one-way drones' low-cost technology changed warfare post-Ukraine and Israel-Iran conflicts, with Israel's November attack reducing Iran's air-defense, an official said.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
22 Articles
22 Articles
US sets up one-way attack drone squadron in the Middle East after reverse-engineering Iranian drone
Having faced continuous drone attacks by Iran and its proxies over the last two years, the US military is responding by standing up its first one-way attack drone squadron in the Middle East — and using drones that borrow design and technology directly from Iran.
·Atlanta, United States
Read Full Article
noticiasdegipuzkoa.eusReposted by 
diarioestrategia.cl
diarioestrategia.clThe United States announced on Wednesday the launch of its first squadron of kamikaze drones based in the Middle East, months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the acceleration of the purchase and deployment of such unmanned aircraft for possible military operations.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources22
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 33%
C 50%
R 17%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
