United States Copies Iran's Drone Design; Middle East Becomes Cheap Drone Warfare Arena

In an attack that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the United States deployed a cheap drone based on Iranian design for the first time. CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike used the loitering attack drone in Operation Epic Fury, marking the first historical deployment of such a weapon system.

The low-cost American-made killer drone is named LUCAS, first unveiled by manufacturer Spectreworks in July following the US Air Force’s announcement of interest in acquiring a replica of Iran’s Shahed-136 drone.

Each LUCAS unit costs approximately $35,000 (Rp 590 million), significantly below the cost of missiles which reach millions of dollars. This price point aligns with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to develop autonomous weapons quickly and affordably.

In December, CENTCOM announced it had deployed a squadron of LUCAS drones to the Middle East for testing. Unlike traditional squadrons, these deployments can comprise 100 to 2,000 units. Although initially developed as a training tool, LUCAS’s modular and open design enables it to carry various types of ammunition. The US military has tested LUCAS for reconnaissance and loitering attack missions, with a test launch conducted from the littoral combat ship Santa Barbara in the Persian Gulf on 16 December.

The number of LUCAS drones used in Operation Epic Fury remains undisclosed. However, their deployment has raised concerns amongst US military experts about American weapons stockpiles for sustained operations. Former Defence Secretary Mark Esper stated that the US lacks preparation for long-term military campaigns, noting deficiencies in the defence industrial base and insufficient supplies of critical weapons systems such as Patriot and THAAD missiles, and offensive weapons like JASSMs.