US Military Uses LUCAS Attack Drones for First Time in Operation Epic Fury

The V-shaped drones were developed by SpektreWorks and are reverse-engineered versions of the Iranian Shahed-136 platform.

By Shula Rosen

The US military is using its new Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones for the first time in combat as part of Operation Epic Fury, also known as Operation Roaring Lion, US Central Command said Saturday night.

CENTCOM announced on X that its Task Force Scorpion Strike has deployed the one-way attack drones operationally, marking the platform’s first battlefield use since it was 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 Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution,” the command said.

The drones, known as LUCAS, are part of a broader effort by CENTCOM to accelerate the fielding of affordable unmanned systems.

In December, the command said it had established Task Force Scorpion Strike four months after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth directed the rapid acquisition and deployment of low-cost drone technology.

According to CENTCOM, the task force is intended to place effective and inexpensive unmanned strike capabilities directly into the hands of deployed forces.

CENTCOM said the task force has already formed a squadron of LUCAS drones that is currently based in the Middle East.

The V-shaped drones were developed by SpektreWorks and are reverse-engineered versions of the Iranian Shahed-136 platform, which has been widely used by Russia in Ukraine and by Iranian-backed militias across the region.

The US military has not released detailed technical specifications for the LUCAS system.

CENTCOM said the drones can be launched using multiple methods, including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff systems, and mobile ground or vehicle-based launchers, and are intended to be produced and deployed rapidly at low cost. The command has said the drones are designed to operate autonomously at long ranges.

CENTCOM has also linked the effort to a broader regional drone strategy, combining land-based operations by Task Force Scorpion Strike with maritime activity conducted by Task Force 59.

“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.