The LUCAS is a low-cost, long-range kamikaze drone the U.S. military has now used in combat for the first time, marking a notable shift in modern drone warfare.

 

The LUCAS is a low-cost, long-range kamikaze drone the U.S. military has now used in combat for the first time, marking a notable shift in modern drone warfare. Reverse-engineered from Iran’s Shahed-136, it closely follows the same delta-wing, propeller-driven design and one-way attack concept. Launched from the ground using catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, or mobile vehicle systems, the drone flies toward pre-programmed coordinates, can loiter in the target area, and then dives to detonate on impact. Costing around $35,000 per unit, it provides a far cheaper alternative to traditional long-range missiles while delivering similar strike effects. Designed to operate autonomously beyond line of sight, LUCAS can coordinate in swarms and support networked targeting, allowing multiple drones to share data and adapt during a mission while keeping human operators involved in the decision-making loop.

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