'Flying bombs' US 'took from Iran and made them better' were used in the war. What are they?
Task Force Scorpion Strike, an American unit of Kamikaze drones, were activated just days before the US and Israel attacked Iran. These drones are loitering munitions, flying bombs based on Iran's Shahed drones. They can carry out precision strikes, inflicting initial damage.
Task Force Scorpion, a kamikaze drone unit is ready to attack Iran
Pentagon’s first drone unit, built for one-way strikes that can explode after hovering over a target were used against Iran after Donald Trump gave the go-ahead for military strikes. Earlier, reports stated that Task Force Scorpion, kamikaze drones, had been activated. These drones evolved from an experimental US Army drone unit. Central Command Adm Brad Cooper said that they “took Iran's drones, made them better and fired them right back.”
Drones reverse-engineered from Iran’s Shahed-136 drones
These drones have been developed through reverse engineering based on Iran’s Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicle. One drone from the unit was successfully test-launched from the USS Santa Barbara in the Persian Gulf in mid-December. The warship is part of the armada currently deployed to the region as war in the Middle East looms.
LUCAS system used in America's first suicide drone unit
The use of small, lethal suicide drones to destroy specific targets was once the domain of the Iranian regime. The drone unit works with the LUCAS system, a state of the art one way attack drone. It is a product of military reverse engineering. Americans observed the Iranian Shahed 136 drones for years, and watched how they were being used by regional proxies, along with Russia in Ukraine. They replicated the technology and improved it to build their first kamikaze drone unit.
Kamikaze drones are flying bombs
Task Force Scorpion Kamikaze drones are essentially flying bombs. They loiter over a specific target area and then dive into a specific coordinate with extreme precision, devastating it fully. They operate autonomously and have an extensive range. This is exactly how the Shahed drones operate. They are loitering munitions which explode over a target area, also known as suicide drones.
Pentagon sending clear message with Kamikaze drones
The decision to use Task Force Scorpion Strike against Iran hides a message that the Pentagon is sending to Iran. It is a warning to Tehran that not only has the US mastered this technology, but it has also improved upon it and is ready to use it on a massive scale. Experts assert that these new drones have a clear aim - to "blind" Iranian radar installations and destroy missile launch facilities, clearing the way for manned bombers to enter the airspace.
Advantages of Task Force Scorpion drones
The drones are also a way to keep men and expensive stealth fighters safe before the big kill. The sophisticated Reaper drones require extensive satellite links and runways, while the Task Force Scorpion Kamikaze drones can be launched from the back of a truck. They cost $35,000 per unit and can carry an 18-kilogram payload.
Kamikaze drones will be first to enter Iran
If the nuclear talks between the US and Iran fail, these drones would be the first to enter Iranian territory. US officials and analysts say that just having them ready significantly lowers the threshold for a military strike. They can kickstart a high-impact operation with zero risk to American flight crews.
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