The US has long criticised its adversaries for reverse-engineering its military technology. However, in a true reverse-uno moment, the US is now proudly flaunting its LUCAS (Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System) derived from Iran’s Shahed-136 drones and calling it “American-made retribution.”
“LUCAS is indispensable… This was an original Iranian drone design. We captured it, pulled the guts out, sent it back to America, put a little ‘Made in America’ on it, brought it back here, and we’re shooting it at the Iranians,” the US CENTCOM (Central Command) commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, recently said at a press conference.
The admission comes days after CENTCOM acknowledged the use of the drones, saying, “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, modelled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution.”
The LUCAS drones were launched from ground-based platforms by Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS) as part of Operation Epic Fury, a joint US-Israel operation against Iran launched on February 28, 2026.
The drone is just one of the assets deployed by the US against Iran, alongside two aircraft carriers (USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln), multiple destroyers launching Tomahawk cruise missiles, strategic bombers (B-2, B-1, and B-52), and fighter jets (F-15, F-16, F-22, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, and the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters) etc,.
While there is no clarity on which targets LUCAS struck, some reports quoted the Commander as saying they were “good ones.” The drone is based on Shahed-136, the one-way attack drone that has been widely deployed by Russia against Ukraine in the four-year (and running) conflict with devastating effects.
Iran has deployed the Shahed-136 to attack the US, Israel, and Gulf states hosting US military facilities in the ongoing conflict. Interestingly, Ukraine has offered to help Gulf states thwart Iranian kamikaze drones while seeking assistance to counter Russian ballistic missiles.
The idea behind using these drones is simple: create a price differential and make it very expensive for the adversary to take down these cheap, one-way attack drones. For instance, an air defence interceptor is much more expensive than a Shahed-136 or LUCAS.
Washington has been inspired to develop cheap, one-way attack drones based on the experience in Ukraine. Unlike expensive missiles across the US military arsenal, the LUCAS provides a much cheaper offensive alternative at just about $30,000 to $35,000 per unit.
In fact, it is not just a low-cost platform but can also be readily scaled for use in a protracted conflict, as seen with the Shahed-136, which has been rapidly produced in large numbers by Russia under the name Geran-2.
LUCAS was captured by the US a few years ago and subsequently reverse-engineered.
Developed by SpektreWorks, LUCAS is designed to provide a scalable, affordable option for tactical drone warfare, much like the Shaheds. The drone was unveiled by the US Department of Defence (DoD) in July 2025, during an exhibition, attended by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Notably, it was deployed to the Middle East theatre in December that same year, as reported by the EurAsian Times.
The reverse-engineering of the lethal Iranian drone has been seen as an intriguing development by observers, especially since Washington has repeatedly accused rivals like China and Iran of copying its military technology.
In 2011, Iran captured the US Air Force RQ-170 Sentinel and reverse-engineered it to create the Saeghe/Simorgh drone, as previously explained by the EurAsian Times. The drone was later shot down by Israel during hostilities in 2014, as claimed by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF)
LUCAS Drone Against Iran
Reverse-engineered from the Shahed-136, LUCAS drones have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously. It is a key component of the Pentagon’s “Drone Dominance” program to combat low-cost threats from countries like Iran, Russia, and China since it is lighter, more flexible, and integrated with a cutting-edge US network system.
These drones can be launched using different mechanisms—including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems. By utilising Iran’s design against it, LUCAS flips the script and prioritises cheap cost, autonomy, and swarm tactics over costly, precise weapons like cruise missiles or the MQ-9 Reaper UAV.
LUCAS is a compact, delta-wing fixed-wing drone optimised for long-range loitering and terminal dives. It’s significantly lighter than the Shahed-136 while matching or exceeding key metrics. It has a length of about 10 feet, a wingspan of 8 feet, and a takeoff weight of about 82 kilograms. It can loiter for up to 6 hours and has an 18-kilogram payload capacity.
Its modular and open architecture accommodates various payloads, including reconnaissance sensors, electronic warfare modules, and explosive warheads, thereby facilitating adaptability to a wide range of mission profiles.
LUCAS is powered by a gasoline piston engine, and LUCAS prioritises autonomy and scalability over simplicity.
LUCAS is an autonomous system that operates beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) with GPS/INS navigation. In jammed environments, it could use GPS-denied visual navigation.
Notably, the LUCAS is more cost-effective than the Shahed-136 since it may be reused in certain configurations, including reconnaissance missions. It supports a variety of payloads and runs on a 28V and 12V power supply.
Its Multi-domain Unmanned Systems Communications (MUSIC) mesh network enables network-centric strikes and autonomous swarm operations. Furthermore, this network enables LUCAS to function as a communication relay, an essential capability in contested areas where traditional communication lines may be disrupted. Additionally, it has a low radar signature and can fly at low altitude.
In a nutshell, it has been designed to overwhelm defences through sheer numbers rather than individual survivability.
Its capability to operate autonomously or in swarms diminishes dependence on vulnerable centralised command structures, thus making it suitable for contested environments. Furthermore, its truck-mounted launch system enhances mobility, allowing for swift deployment from forward bases or allied territories.
The development of LUCAS has been a direct response to the transformation of modern warfare driven by the global proliferation of low-cost kamikaze drones.
“The low cost and extended range of the Shahed-136 exposed a gap in Western arsenals, which have historically depended on expensive, reusable platforms such as the MQ-9 Reaper. The United States’ response materialised as the LUCAS system, a three-category UAS (capable of carrying up to 600 kg and operating at altitudes reaching 5,500 meters),” as observed by Air Marshal Anil Khosla, the Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS) in a previous EurAsian Times article.
When facing off against an enemy like Iran, which boasts a massive arsenal of missiles and drones, which could prolong the conflict, the deployment of cost-effective platforms to deal a blow to high-value hostile assets would c certainly make more sense.
Each LUCAS drone costs around $35,000, far cheaper than cruise missiles like Tomahawks, which cost $2 million each. Therefore, the use of LUCAS allows the US to launch large numbers of missiles (swarms) without rapidly depleting high-end munition stockpiles or breaking the budget.
LUCAS essentially lets the US adopt Iran’s low-cost drone playbook—using “American-made retribution” to attack Iran’s military infrastructure economically and persistently, while conserving more expensive assets for critical targets.
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