US Employs Iranian-Inspired Drones in Strikes Against Iran

Last month, the U.S. Deployed the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drone in combat for the first time during Operation Epic Fury, marking a significant shift towards affordable, high-volume defense capabilities.

Operation Epic Fury and the Debut of LUCAS

On February 28, as Operation Epic Fury commenced with missile and bomb strikes against Iran, American forces also launched the LUCAS drone. This deployment signaled the Pentagon’s move towards a new era of low-cost, high-volume defense, utilizing one-way attack drones – often referred to as “kamikaze drones.” These drones are the primary weapon of Task Force Scorpion Strike, a new unit under U.S. Special Operations Command.

According to Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, the LUCAS drones inflicted “massive effects” on impact.

From Shahed to LUCAS: A Reverse-Engineering Success

Ironically, the LUCAS drones were inspired by Iran’s Shahed drones. As Adm. Cooper stated, “We took them back to America, made them better, and fired them right back at Iran.” The Shahed-136, with an estimated range of about 1,200 miles, served as the foundation for the LUCAS design.

LUCAS: Design and Capabilities

Developed by Arizona-based SpektreWorks, the LUCAS drone closely resembles the Iranian Shahed-136, featuring delta-shaped wings and vertical stabilizers. While the Shahed-131 has stabilizers pointing above the wings, the larger Shahed-136 has stabilizers protruding both above and below.

The LUCAS drone is a reverse-engineered and upgraded version of the Shahed. It measures approximately 3 meters in length with a 2.4-meter wingspan, slightly smaller than the Shahed’s dimensions. Powered by a small piston engine, LUCAS carries a 18 kg (40 lb) payload and has an operational range of around 800 km (500 miles) with an endurance of up to 6 hours, cruising at approximately 185 km/h.

LUCAS is designed for portability and can be launched using catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, or mobile ground/vehicle systems.

Artificial Intelligence and Swarm Coordination

Equipped with artificial intelligence technology, LUCAS can operate autonomously and maneuver in swarms. The Pentagon has paired LUCAS drones with advanced satellite communications systems to protect them from interference, such as jamming or electromagnetic interference.

Cost-Effectiveness and Strategic Implications

Each LUCAS drone costs approximately $35,000 to produce, significantly less than the $2.4 million price tag of a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile. While LUCAS may not entirely replace advanced missile systems due to its shorter range and fewer capabilities, it offers a cost-effective solution for saturating defenses and conserving more sophisticated platforms.

The development of LUCAS highlights a broader trend towards affordable, attritable drone swarms as a core element of modern warfare, allowing the U.S. To impose asymmetric costs on adversaries like Iran.

The Origins of the Design

The irony of fielding a drone based on Iranian technology is further underscored by the fact that the original Shahed drones bear a striking resemblance to Israel’s IAI Harpy drone, introduced in 1988.