US Central Command on Wednesday announced a new task force for the American military’s first one-way attack drone squadron based in the Middle East.
The launch of Task Force Scorpion Strike comes after Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced a plan to make it easier for the US military to buy and develop small drones.
"TFSS is designed to quickly deliver low-cost and effective drone capabilities into the hands of war fighters," Centcom, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said in a media release.
The new task force has formed a squadron of low-cost unmanned combat attack system (Lucas) drones based in the Middle East.
Centcom said the drones have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously, and can be launched in different ways, including catapults, rocket-assisted take-off, and ground and vehicle systems.
“This new task force sets the conditions for using innovation as a deterrent,” said Centcom chief Admiral Brad Cooper. “Equipping our skilled war fighters faster with cutting-edge drone capabilities showcases US military innovation and strength, which deters bad actors.”
In September, Centcom launched the Rapid Employment Joint Task Force led by its chief technology officer to hasten processes for providing posted forces with new capabilities.
“Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year's casualties in Ukraine,” Mr Hegseth said in a July memo, warning that US adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year.
“I am rescinding restrictive policies that hindered production and limited access to these vital technologies, unleashing the combined potential of American manufacturing and war-fighter ingenuity.”
Defence news site The War Zone, quoting a US official, reported that the design for the Lucas drone was based on the Iranian-made Shahed-136. The official said the Lucas drones were aimed at offering a way “to flip the script on Iran".
The Shahed-136 Loitering Munition Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is a swarming drone developed by Tehran, and has also been called a kamikaze drone. It has been used by the Russian army in Ukraine.
