Just a few years ago, it would have been almost inconceivable for U.S. forces ¡ª the world¡¯s most advanced military ¡ª to operate reverse-engineered Iranian drones. But times are changing fast, and so is the nature of warfare, a fact that is also prompting a shift in Japan.
As Washington and its allies scramble for combat-proven and low-cost drones, the the launch of a squadron based on the LUCAS kamikaze drone, a system derived from Iran¡¯s Shahed-136 loitering munition, versions of which are being used by Russia in Ukraine.
The autonomous LUCAS, which is also being tested by the U.S. Navy and Marines, is part of a broader Pentagon push to fast-track the adoption of various small drones across the military, treating them as ¡°consumable or expendable¡± capabilities similar to bullets, hand grenades and other munitions.
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