US missile and UAV arsenal sees first combat deployment in conflict with Iran

The US has for the first time deployed LUCAS suicide drones, PrSM missiles, and "black Tomahawks" in combat during strikes against Iran.

Locations in Iran targeted by US - Israel from 28/2 to 1/3. Graphic: CNN

On 28/2, the US and Israel launched a large-scale operation targeting defense and intelligence facilities, as well as the homes of numerous high-ranking officials and generals in Iran. Israel named the operation "Roaring Lion", while the US referred to the attack as "Terrible Wrath".

Iran reported that the strikes resulted in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials.

The accompanying photo shows an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on the first day of the operation.

US military deploys fighters, launches missiles to attack Iran on 28/2. Video: CENTCOM

A Tomahawk cruise missile was launched from the destroyer USS Spruance.

The image drew attention as the Tomahawk cruise missile was painted black, rather than the usual light gray. This marks the first appearance of a black Tomahawk missile.

Another weapon in the US Navy's inventory with a similar color scheme is the AGM-158C LRASM long-range anti-ship missile.

"It appears that new batches of Tomahawk missiles produced for the US Navy are also being given a similar coating", commented Tyler Rogoway, a writer for the military specialized publication War Zone.

A Tomahawk missile fired by the destroyer USS Spruance on 28/2 still retained its traditional light gray color.

Rogoway suggested that the new coating on the "black Tomahawk" could help reduce its radar cross-section and increase its survivability, especially when striking targets at sea.

A Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was launched from a HIMARS rocket artillery system on the first day of Operation "Terrible Wrath".

The PrSM is a short-range ballistic missile developed by the defense corporation Lockheed Martin, intended to replace the older Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). This is believed to be the first time the US military has used the PrSM in actual combat.

The PrSM boasts superior features compared to the ATACMS, with a 90 kg high-explosive warhead and a range exceeding 500 km. It can be fired from HIMARS and M270 rocket artillery systems, carrying 2 and 4 missiles respectively.

The next version of the PrSM is expected to achieve a range of approximately 1,000 km, doubling that of the original.

PrSM missiles and other weapons in a compilation video of the first 24 hours of Operation "Terrible Wrath". Video: CENTCOM

The US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, announced that a low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), designed based on Tehran's Shahed series, saw its first combat deployment in the strikes against Iran.

Illustrative images released by CENTCOM show this is the LUCAS model developed by the US company SpektreWorks.

A LUCAS UAV was launched from the littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara in 12/2025.

The LUCAS is described as a UAV with a long flight range, a continuous operating time of 6 hours, and a cruising speed exceeding 100 km/h.

The core design of the LUCAS is directly based on Iran's Shahed-136 suicide drone. US officials stated that the country's military obtained a Shahed, studied it, and used reverse engineering to produce a corresponding aircraft.