The LUCAS suicide drone was deployed from the littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara in the Persian Gulf on 16/12, with the US Navy disclosing the information on 18/12.
"The first successful launch of LUCAS from a warship marks a significant milestone in efforts to rapidly provide inexpensive, effective drone systems to troops", said Vice Admiral Curt Renshaw, commander of the US Navy's 5th Fleet, adding that LUCAS will help enhance maritime security and deterrence capabilities for US forces in the region.
Video released shows the aircraft taking off from the Santa Barbara's deck using a solid-fuel booster stage, launching straight up before transitioning to level flight.
"Weapons that can be deployed without a fixed launcher will allow them to launch from a wider variety of vessels, including logistics and auxiliary ships, as well as from austere locations on land", said Kai Greet, editor for the aviation specialist website Aviationist.
Developed by US company SpektreWorks, LUCAS is described as a drone with a long range, 6 hours of continuous operation, and a cruising speed of over 100 km/h.
The core design of LUCAS is directly based on Iran's Shahed-136 drone. US officials stated that the military obtained a Shahed, studied it, and used reverse engineering to build a corresponding aircraft. "LUCAS is a product of this reverse engineering effort. The aircraft is almost identical to the Shahed's design", the official stated.
 |
LUCAS drone at a US base in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility on 23/11. Photo: US Department of Defense |
Shahed-type drones, while having small warheads and flying slower than cruise missiles, offer the advantages of being inexpensive and easy to produce. This enables an attacker to deploy hundreds of them in a single strike, overwhelming enemy air defenses and inflicting maximum damage on targets.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, announced earlier this month the establishment of its first suicide drone unit. This unit is stationed in the Middle East and uses LUCAS drones. US officials stated that while they have not yet deployed LUCAS in combat, they have used the drone to attack simulated targets in tests in the Middle East.
By Pham Giang (Aviationist, Business Insider)
