LUCAS: United States Used Its Own Copy of the Shahed Drone for Strikes on Iran

U.S. forces used LUCAS drones, developed based on the design of Iran’s Shahed-136, to strike Iran.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the first confirmed combat use of these UAVs on February 28.

By March 2, a video was published online showing one of the drones discovered in the desert in Iraq.

The United States has not disclosed the specific purposes for which LUCAS (Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System) drones are being used in the military campaign against Iran.

The deployment of American Shahed-type drones in the Middle East became known on December 3, 2025.

Locals in Iraq appear to have recovered a crashed and almost entirely intact Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS), an American copy of the Iranian Shahed-136 Attack Drone, which is confirmed to have been used recently by Task Force Scorpion Strike during U.S. attacks on… pic.twitter.com/SEqO6627en

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 2, 2026

A combat unit called Scorpion Strike was formed to operate these systems.

LUCAS UAV

The long-range LUCAS drones have been equipped with Starlink antennas. Satellite communications enable real-time transmission of live video from the drone’s camera and control of its flight.

This increases strike effectiveness through operator-guided retargeting, including in environments affected by electronic warfare (EW). It also allows operators to select higher-priority targets for engagement.

LUCAS (Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System) drones equipped with a satellite terminal. November 2025. Photo credits: United States Central Command

The drones can be launched by catapult, using a solid-fuel booster, or from mobile ground or vehicle-mounted platforms.

The LUCAS, featuring a delta-wing design approximately 3 meters long with a wingspan of 2.4 meters, was developed by SpektreWorks.

LUCAS (Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System). Photo credits: Defense Blog

The estimated cost of a single drone is approximately $35,000. The strike version was developed based on the FLM 136 target drone.

The FLM 136 is equipped with an internal combustion engine that provides up to 6 hours of endurance, a cruising speed of 137 km/h, a maximum speed of 195 km/h, and a range exceeding 800 km. Its payload capacity (excluding fuel) reaches up to 18 kilograms.