American Shahed: USA Deploys LUCAS Combat Drones in the Middle East

The United States has deployed the first combat unit armed with LUCAS attack drones, the American equivalent of the Shahed-136, in the Middle East.

The unit is called Scorpion Strike (TFSS) and operates under the control of SOCCENT, which is responsible for US special operations in the region, The War Zone reported.

This is a direct implementation of the initiative of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, which provides for a sharp expansion of unmanned weapons in the United States.

LUCAS is based on the reverse engineering of the Iranian Shahed-136. The US military officially recognizes the receival of the Iranian model and its full analysis.

The drone was designed by SpektreWorks in cooperation with the Pentagon. The device has a delta wing and dimensions similar to the Shahed-136.

The platform supports autonomous coordination between drones, making it suitable for swarming attacks and working in a networked control structure.

The cost of one LUCAS is about $35,000, which is an order of magnitude cheaper than classic long-range U.S. munitions.

The system has a long range and the ability to operate beyond line of sight, including launching from catapults, mobile platforms, and rocket launches.

The TFSS currently has about two dozen military personnel responsible for the deployment and use of drones in the region.

U.S. officials have explicitly stated that the creation of the TFSS “flips the script on Iran,” which actively uses the Shahed-136 through its own proxies.

The unit has already conducted test launches, but there are no combat applications yet. The US sees LUCAS as a tool to deter Iran and the Houthis and as a cheap massive means to overwhelm enemy air defenses in future conflicts.

Recently, China has started testing its LOONG M9 strike and reconnaissance UAV, an analog of the Geran or Shahed.