The US military is using the new LUCAS attack drones during Operation Epic Fury, United States Central Command announced on X/Twitter on Saturday night. It was the platform’s first operational use after being unveiled in late 2025.
“CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike-for the first time in history-is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury. These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran’s Shaheed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution.”
In December, CENTCOM announced that it had “launched Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS) four months after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth directed acceleration of the acquisition and fielding of affordable drone technology. TFSS is designed to quickly deliver low-cost and effective drone capabilities into the hands of warfighters.” The report says, “the new task force has already formed a squadron of Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones currently based in the Middle East.”
The V‑shaped LUCAS drones, developed by SpektreWorks are reverse engineered Shahed-136, Iranian drones that have been used extensively by Russia in Ukraine and by Iranian‑backed militias across the Middle East.
The American LUCAS platform, that can be launched by various mechanisms including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff or mobile ground and vehicle systems aims to be a low‑cost derivative designed for rapid production and deployment.
While the US has not disclosed the full capabilities of the LUCAS system, the combination of Task Force Scorpion Strike on land and Task Force 59 at sea indicates a coordinated effort to build a regional drone strike network in a heavily contested region.
According to CENTCOM, the drones are designed to operate autonomously at long ranges.
“This new task force sets the conditions for using innovation as a deterrent... equipping our skilled warfighters faster with cutting-edge drone capabilities showcases US military innovation and strength, which deters bad actors,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM at the time.