MIDDLE EAST — The U.S. Navy successfully launched a Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System drone from the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara while transiting the Arabian Gulf.

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This milestone marks the first employment of an attack drone at sea in the Middle East by U.S. naval forces. The launch was executed by NAVCENT’s Task Force 59, demonstrating enhanced capabilities in unmanned operations.

According to Vice Admiral Curt Renshaw, commander of Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. Fifth Fleet, this achievement highlights rapid delivery of affordable unmanned systems to war-fighters through innovation and joint collaboration.

The event builds on the recent deployment of Task Force Scorpion Strike, aimed at strengthening regional security and deterrence.

The LUCAS drone represents a significant advancement in U.S. military unmanned aerial capabilities deployed in the Middle East. Developed as a reverse-engineered variant of the Iranian Shahed-136, the LUCAS is slightly smaller, measuring approximately 10 feet in length with an 8-foot wingspan.

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