TWZ:  U.S. Military Has Used Long-Range Kamikaze Drones In Combat For The First Time

The U.S. has used LUCAS kamikaze drones for the first time in combat, U.S. Central Command acknowledged on Saturday. The drones, based on the Iranian Shahed-136, were launched from the ground by Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS).

This seems like one of those, “ain’t life funny” articles.

See, Iran developed the Shahed-136 and has used it against the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain.  The US got their hands on an Iranian Shahed-136, reverse engineered it, made our own, and used it in Operation Epic Fury against Iran.  Ironic, no?

It’s just that the Iranians based the Shahed-136 on an Israeli concept, which has roots in a German concept.

That sounds sophisticated, except you could go to Flite Fest in Malvern, Ohio, and see guys flying RC planes that are similar.

The U.S. LUCAS kamikaze drones have a propeller and gas engine that gives the drone a long flight time and large payload.  It can fly for 6 hours or so, and carry 50 pounds.  Some of that is taken up with electronics for guidance and communication, but that still leaves room for 45 pounds of high explosives.

These are cheap and flexible.

War is a great driver of technology, but it gets people killed.  The US is learning much about modern warfare from the Russia/Ukraine war.