Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Department of Defense)
The United States unveiled on July 17 a new low-cost drone that appears to be almost an exact copy of Iran’s Shahed-136.
The new drone, dubbed the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS), was showcased to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during a display of multi-domain autonomous systems in the Pentagon courtyard.
The developer, Arizona-based defense contractor SpektreWorks, said that LUCAS delivers a flexible, attritable platform that can support distributed operations across the Indo-Pacific. It described it as “a reliable and cost-effective Group 3 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) designed to perform in austere conditions with minimal logistical requirements.”
Drone classified by the U.S. military as Group 3 UAS can weigh up to 600 kilograms and operate at altitudes up to 5,500 meters.
Visually, the drone closely resembles Iran’s Shahed-136 suicide drone with a triangular wingspan of approximately 2.5 to 3 meters and a piston engine. The drone seems to be built on or derived from SpektreWorks’s FLM 136 target drone, often mislabeled as FLM 131.
The FLM 136 has an endurance of up to six hours, a top speed of 185 kilometers per hour and can carry a payload weighing 18 kg.
The open architecture of the LUCAS allows it to integrate a variety of payloads, offering a modular approach to reconnaissance, strike, and communications support missions, according to SpektreWorks.
The drone is capable of operating as a target drone or as an optionally powered combat system. It also supports autonomous cooperative missions and provides network-centric strike capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems.
In addition, the drone uses an FLM 131 attritable platform and is equipped with highly compatible guidance systems designed to meet stringent size, weight, and power requirements.
According to SpektreWorks, LUCAS will also operate as a communications relay within the Multi-domain Unmanned Systems Communications mesh network.
The drone features multiple launch configurations, including Rocket-Assisted Take-Off and truck-based deployment. This makes it suitable for rapid fielding by non-specialized personnel.
LUCAS has already completed successful testing and is ready for production, with its integration into active units expected in the near future.
Iran’s Shahed-136 suicide drone proved its worth during multiple conflicts in the Middle East. Russian Geran-series suicide drones, which are reported to be based on the Shahed-136 were also a real gamechanger in the special military operation zone in Ukraine.
The U.S. was likely able to develop the LUCAS based on Shahed and Geran models provided by Israel and Ukraine. The low-cost drone will bring the U.S. military back to the drone race, without a doubt.
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