Editor's Note: Of course, our question is here at AFP - why are these drones needed in the Middle East? Are we entering a new conflict?

The U.S. military has fielded its first squadron of one-way attack drones to the Middle East under Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS), according to United States Central Command (CENTCOM).

The unit operates Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones, derived from Shahed models used by Tehran and Moscow. The U.S. captured a damaged Shahed drone a few years ago, and a team of American companies worked to reverse-engineer it, leading to the creation of LUCAS.

Each drone reportedly costs about $35,000 and can be launched from multiple platforms.

“LUCAS drones deployed by CENTCOM have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously,” a press release by CENTCOM said “They can be launched with different mechanisms to include catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems.”

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