CENTCOM deploys new one-way attack drones to region

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has deployed a squadron of one-way-attack drones to the Middle East, emulating a phenomenon spearheaded by Iran and it's proxies in recent years.

In a statement published on Wednesday, CENTCOM announced the deployment of Task Force Scorpion Strike, a unit that uses unmanned attack drones termed the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS).

"LUCAS Drones have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously," the statement said, adding, "they can be launched with different mechanisms to include catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems."

Although the statement does not specify where the drones are deployed, CENTCOM's area of operations encompasses the Middle East and Central Asia.

The drones, similar in design to Iran's Shahed range of drones with their V-wing, cost $35,000 each, according to Axios.

Drones have increasingly been used in modern warfare, particularly in the Middle East by Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and the Houthis, against Israel following the outbreak of its war on Gaza in October 2023.

Iran's Shahed have also become a hallmark of Russia's war in Ukraine, being used extensively in swarms as part of attempts to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences.

While the US has deployed drones for decades, including its notorious use of MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper Drones in the post-9/11 War on Terror, its recent pivot to cheap single-use drones is more recent and has accelerated under the Trump administration.

Admiral Bradely Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said, "equipping our skilled warfighters faster with cutting-edge drone capabilities showcases US military innovation and strength, which deters bad actors."

The announcement comes after the US Department of Defence published a pre-recorded message by US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth on Tuesday under the title 'Drone Dominance' where he remarked, "we now find ourselves in a new era: an era of cheap, disposable battlefield drones," adding that "we cannot be left behind."