Dec 3, 2025 - Technology

U.S. troops get attack drones similar to Iran's deadly Shahed

Colin Demarest

Rows of gray drones arranged in a grid on a paved surface, lit by soft sunlight casting shadows between them. — Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System drones on a tarmac in the Middle East last month. Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Central Command

American troops in the Middle East are now armed with attack drones reminiscent of the Iranian-made Shahed, which has been adopted by Houthi rebels and Russian forces alike.

Why it matters: The Pentagon has, under both Trump and Biden administrations, clamored for cheap, readily available drones — and for them to actually be used in the field.

This is a step in that direction.

Driving the news: U.S. Central Command, which oversees military action in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other locations, on Wednesday revealed the existence of Task Force Scorpion Strike.

The task force, it said, has already "formed a squadron of Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones." Exactly where, the command didn't say.

Zoom in: Images shared by CENTCOM show rows of delta-wing drones with wing stabilizers and sensors on the nose. Each costs about $35,000.

The intrigue: Washington has in the past recovered Iranian drones, including the Shahed-101 and Shahed-131, and used them for both evidence and study. They were in 2023 displayed at the Defense Intelligence Agency's museum at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

The LUCAS drones flexed by CENTCOM appear similar in design to the Shahed-131 and the heftier Shahed-136.

The bottom line: "We now find ourselves in a new era: an era of cheap, disposable battlefield drones," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in prerecorded remarks shared Tuesday.

"We cannot be left behind."

Go deeper: The U.S. military can't quit the Middle East

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U.S. troops get attack drones similar to Iran's deadly Shahed

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