The United States has confirmed the first combat use of its Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, during the strikes on Iran.
According to United States Central Command, the one-way attack drone was launched as part of Operation Epic Fury, which targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.
As for the comparisons between the LUCAS and Shahed-136:
Although LUCAS was reverse-engineered from the Iranian Shahed-136, the two systems diverge in key performance areas. The US-built drone is estimated to cost around $35,000 per unit, making it significantly more transparent (and likely more scalable) from a procurement standpoint. It has a reported range of roughly 700 km (444 miles), a top speed of about 105 knots (194 km/h), and can carry a payload of around 18 kg (40 pounds), with endurance of up to six hours.
By contrast, the Iranian Shahed-136 is believed to reach distances of up to 2,000 km (1,242 miles) and carry a heavier 40 kg warhead, though its exact production cost remains unclear. Its top speed is slightly lower, at around 100 knots (185 km/h), and publicly available data suggests more variable endurance depending on configuration.