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According to the report, the US Army is putting its own twist on Iran’s Shahed-136, kicking off tests of a one-way attack drone it said was reverse-engineered from the infamous loitering munition.
The report stated that LUCAS, which is short for Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, is called the drone mirrors the Shahed’s core design but adds US-driven upgrades, including an extensive range profile and built-in autonomy.
The report added that through a mesh network, multiple LUCAS units can talk to each other to coordinate swarming attacks at a roughly 10-foot (3 meters) long with an 8-foot (2.4-meter) wingspan, the delta-wing drone is reportedly optimized for long loiter times.
In addition, LUCAS is also built for flexible launches, whether it is flung from a catapult, boosted by rockets, or deployed straight off a vehicle. At roughly $35,000 each, LUCAS aims to deliver a long-range punch at a fraction of what conventional munitions typically cost.
Source: The Defense Post
The report stated that LUCAS, which is short for Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, is called the drone mirrors the Shahed’s core design but adds US-driven upgrades, including an extensive range profile and built-in autonomy.
The report added that through a mesh network, multiple LUCAS units can talk to each other to coordinate swarming attacks at a roughly 10-foot (3 meters) long with an 8-foot (2.4-meter) wingspan, the delta-wing drone is reportedly optimized for long loiter times.
In addition, LUCAS is also built for flexible launches, whether it is flung from a catapult, boosted by rockets, or deployed straight off a vehicle. At roughly $35,000 each, LUCAS aims to deliver a long-range punch at a fraction of what conventional munitions typically cost.
Source: The Defense Post
