US may have used Ukrainian drone concepts to build its Shahed copies – Media
Photo: Shahed-136 drones (Wikipedia)
The United States may strike Iran using drones modeled after Iran's Shahed drones, but upgraded in ways similar to Ukrainian FP-2 and Rubaka drones, Defense Express reports.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for the Middle East, has announced the formation of a new task group, Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS). It has deployed the first squadron of Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) strike drones.
The main target for the new squadron is expected to be Iran and the groups it supports.
In other words, the US is threatening Tehran with UAVs developed on the basis of its Shahed-131.
How LUCAS was developed
US military officials openly say that LUCAS was designed after studying the Iranian drone. According to them, they obtained an intact Shahed-131, conducted full reverse engineering, and recreated its structure.
However, LUCAS is not a direct copy. It shares only some external elements and specific components with the Shahed.
The project was originally created not as a classic kamikaze drone, but as a multifunctional platform with a modular design. This allows it to be used as a strike drone as well as a platform for communications or reconnaissance equipment.
The drone was developed by SpektreWorks based on the FLM 131 platform and was first unveiled in July this year.
Alongside the announcement of the squadron's deployment, new photos of LUCAS appeared. They show a new structural element — a small box near the engine that is likely a satellite antenna, Defense Express writes.
If this is confirmed, the drone effectively has capabilities similar to Ukrainian FP-1/2 and Rubaka drones: real-time operation, satellite control, and the ability to conduct precision strikes at any range without relying on radio horizon.
These are the same technologies that allowed Ukraine's forces to destroy numerous air-defense systems, radars, and other equipment in occupied Crimea and, more recently, even shoot down a Mi-8 helicopter in flight in Russia's Rostov region. The geography of such strikes continues to expand.
LUCAS drone specifications
RBC-Ukraine previously wrote that LUCAS drones, developed in cooperation with the Arizona-based company SpektreWorks, have several key characteristics:
• Autonomous long-range operation, reducing the need for constant operator control.
• Support for swarm tactics — the ability to launch and coordinate multiple drones simultaneously to strike targets.
• Flexible launch options — from land, vehicles, or even ships.
Experts note that the use of such autonomous drones could shift the balance of power in the Middle East, as they can operate quickly, in large numbers, and effectively in complex combat environments.
