The US military’s first kamikaze drone unit is ready for potential strikes on Iran, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing a US Central Command official.
“We established the squadron last year to rapidly equip our warfighters with new combat drone capabilities that continue to evolve,” Capt. Tim Hawkins told the outlet.
CENTCOM first announced in December 2025 that it deployed the US military’s “first one-way-attack drone squadron based in the Middle East,” but did not disclose the exact location where the drones would be based.
The drones the US has deployed for the squadron, known as Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack Systems (LUCAS), were developed by reverse engineering Iranian Shahed-136 drones, demonstrating that Tehran has an edge over Washington when it comes to this type of drone warfare. The Russian version, known as the Geran-2, has been used extensively in attacks on Ukraine.
“LUCAS drones deployed by CENTCOM have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously. They can be launched with different mechanisms, including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems,” CENTCOM said at the time.
A think tank analyst told Bloomberg that the LUCAS drones couldn’t be used against hardened Iranian targets but could be used to strike roadways, missile production facilities, and missile launch sites. The drones are said to cost the US about $35,000 a piece to manufacture.
