US unveils 'reliable and cost-effective' drone to rival Iranian-designed Shaheds

The United States has unveiled a new low-cost combat drone aimed at rivaling Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones, online military magazine Defence Blog reported on July 16.

Since late 2022, Shahed drones have played a key role in Moscow's airstrike strategies against Ukraine, valued for their affordability and substantial payload.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reviewed the drone, known as the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS), during a July 16 demonstration at the Pentagon.

Developed by Arizona-based defense contractor Spektreworks, LUCAS was designed as a flexible, modular platform for strike, reconnaissance, and communications support.

Described as a "reliable and cost-effective," the drone features an open architecture design that enables quick payload swaps and various launch options, including vehicle deployment.

The revelation comes as Russia's increasing deployment of Shahed-type drones in Ukraine.

Ukraine has concentrated on building fleets of interceptor drones to target and neutralize incoming Shahed-type UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Anti-drone defense has become a top priority for national security.

"Ukraine is already using interceptors to shoot down Shaheds and is expanding their production," President Volodymyr Zelensky's office wrote on June 21.