U.S. troops get attack drones similar to Iran’s deadly Shahed

AXIOS-Dec3rd2025

Collin Demarset

American troops in the Middle East are now armed with attack drones reminiscent of the Iranian-made Shahed, which has been adopted by Houthi rebels and Russian forces alike.

Why it matters: The Pentagon has, under both Trump and Biden administrations, clamored for cheap, readily available drones — and for them to actually be used in the field.

• This is a step in that direction.

Driving the news: U.S. Central Command, which oversees military action in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other locations, on Wednesday revealed the existence of Task Force Scorpion Strike.

• The task force, it said, has already “formed a squadron of Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones.” Exactly where, the command didn’t say.

Zoom in: Images shared by CENTCOM show rows of delta-wing drones with wing stabilizers and sensors on the nose. Each costs about $35,000.

The intrigue: Washington has in the past recovered Iranian drones, including the Shahed-101 and Shahed-131, and used them for both evidence and study. They were in 2023 displayed at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s museum at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

• The LUCAS drones flexed by CENTCOM appear similar in design to the Shahed-131 and the heftier Shahed-136.

The bottom line: “We now find ourselves in a new era: an era of cheap, disposable battlefield drones,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in prerecorded remarks shared Tuesday.

• “We cannot be left behind.”

Go deeper: The U.S. military can’t quit the Middle East

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