Washington, USA – The US military revealed on Wednesday that it has enhanced its forces’ capabilities with low-cost attack drones that closely resemble the Iranian “Shahed” drones used by Russian forces in Ukraine.
This development comes as part of the Pentagon’s efforts,
during the administrations of Donald Trump and Joe Biden,
This is to provide cheap and rapidly deployable combat drones
that can be used directly on the battlefield.
Forming a new force
The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for military operations, announced
This involves the formation of a new force called Task Force Scorpion Strike
in areas including Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
She explained that she had already succeeded in creating
a “squadron of low-cost LUCAS attack aircraft”.
The command did not disclose the location
where these aircraft are stationed for security reasons.
Fast-deploying drones
Images released by CENTCOM, according to Axios,
showed rows of triangular-winged drones equipped with front-facing sensors.
The drone’s design is very similar to the Iranian Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones.
Each of these marches costs only about $35,000.
This makes it an effective option in battles that rely on rapid deployment and low cost.
Understanding Iranian aircraft technology
In a related context, US military reports indicate that Washington has previously captured Iranian aircraft.
This is similar to the “Shahed-101” and “Shahed-131” models from previous years.
She used it to gather evidence and understand Iranian aircraft technology.
Some of these aircraft were displayed at the Defense Intelligence Agency Museum in 2023.
A new era of wars
Commenting on the entry of this type of drone into active service,
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said,
In a recorded statement, he said, “The world is now witnessing a new era of wars.”
It relies on cheap, disposable aircraft for use on battlefields.”
This is in reference to the accelerating shift in modern military tactics
and their increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
