The US Navy has successfully launched a one‑way attack drone from a ship at sea for the first time, a development that comes as Washington accelerates its deployment of low‑cost unmanned strike systems.
The test took place on December 16 in the Arabian Gulf, where the USS Santa Barbara (LCS‑32), an Independence‑class littoral combat ship, deployed a Low‑cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) from its flight deck.
According to a press release by the United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), the launch marks a significant step in integrating expendable attack drones into naval operations.
“This first successful launch of LUCAS from a naval vessel marks a significant milestone in rapidly delivering a significant milestone in rapidly delivering affordable and effective unmanned capabilities to the warfighters,” said Vice Adm.Curt Renshaw, commander of NAVCENT and the US 5th fleet.
“This achievement demonstrates the power of innovation and joint collaboration in this critical region,” he added.
CENTCOM unveils new drone strike unit
The at‑sea launch comes shortly after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed the establishment of Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS), the military’s first one‑way attack drone squadron in the region. The unit was created four months after the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered an accelerated push to field low‑cost drones at scale.
According to the official press release, troops from NAVCENT Task Force 59 conducted the rocket-assisted launch of the LUCAS drone.
The V‑shaped LUCAS drones, developed by SpektreWorks, are reverse-engineered Shahed-136, Iranian drones that have been used extensively by Russia in Ukraine and by Iranian‑backed militias across the Middle East.
The American LUCAS platform, which can be launched by various mechanisms including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, or mobile ground and vehicle systems, aims to be a low‑cost derivative designed for rapid production and deployment.
“This platform will undoubtedly enhance regional maritime security and deterrence,” Renshaw said.
Expanding unmanned capabilities at sea
Task Force 59 is NAVCENT’s unmanned systems unit and the Navy’s primary hub for integrating drones and AI‑enabled maritime platforms.
NAVCENT’s area of responsibility includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and parts of the Indian Ocean, a region where Iranian naval forces and proxy groups like the Houthis in Yemen have repeatedly targeted commercial shipping, sinking several ships and taking others hostage.
Though the Americans have launched missiles from naval vessels, launching one‑way attack drones from ships gives the US new operational flexibility, allowing rapid response to threats across multiple maritime corridors, including the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el‑Mandeb.
Iran’s drone proliferation drives US response
The US shift toward mass‑produced, expendable drones reflects lessons from both the Middle East and Ukraine.
Israel was one of the first countries to develop loitering munitions, such as the IAI Harpy and Harop. Iran is said to have reverse-engineered the Harpy to manufacture its popular Shahed family of drones, which are currently proliferating across the region.
Iran has spent years supplying one‑way attack drones to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and militias in Iraq and Syria. The Islamic Republic has also supplied thousands of Shahed drones to Russia. These systems have been used to strike civilian infrastructure, naval vessels, and US bases.
While Iranian drones are inexpensive, they have become strategically disruptive. Russia has used thousands of Shaheds to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses, striking both civilian and military sites throughout the war. On the other hand, high-end US and Western drones are too costly to deploy in large numbers like the Iranians and Russians have done.
But modern conflicts require large volumes of systems, not just expensive precision drones.
While the US has not disclosed the full capabilities of the LUCAS system, the combination of Task Force Scorpion Strike on land and Task Force 59 at sea indicates a coordinated effort to build a regional drone strike network in a heavily contested region.
And as Iran continues to expand its drone production, both domestically and abroad, and as its proxies continue attacks on Israeli, US, and allied targets, the Middle East, which has been a testing ground for Iranian drones, is now becoming a proving ground for an American response.