US used copies of Iran's Shahed drones in strikes, Pentagon confirms
Mar 3rd 2026
The Pentagon says Task Force Scorpion Strike used LUCAS drones, reverse-engineered from Iran's Shahed 136, during February 28 strikes as part of Operation Epic Fury.
- Pentagon confirmed U.S. forces struck Iranian targets using low-cost one-way LUCAS drones in Operation Epic Fury.
- Operation Epic Fury began on February 28 and involved Task Force Scorpion Strike, the U.S. military's first one-way-attack drone squadron.
- CENTCOM said the operation used precision munitions from air, land, and sea and that LUCAS drones were employed in combat for the first time.
- CNN reported LUCAS was developed after technicians reverse-engineered an Iranian Shahed 136 drone captured by the U.S.
- Each LUCAS drone is reported to cost about $35,000 compared with roughly $1.3 million per Tomahawk missile.
- SpektreWorks lists a similar FLM 136 drone with about a 444 nautical mile range, a cruising speed of 74 knots, and dimensions roughly 10 feet long with an eight-foot wingspan.