A new American drone that showed up at the Pentagon looks a lot like the Shaheds Russia uses to bomb Ukraine
Photos show the drone, identified in promotional materials as a Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, and made by American engineering firm SpektreWorks, on display among a variety of other drone prototypes in the courtyard.
The weapon's appearance comes as the US military looks to dramatically increase the production of cheap drones using off-the-shelf components to keep pace with rapid evolutions in warfare, which is becoming increasingly robotic and autonomous.
A fact sheet visible in the photos from the Pentagon said that the new Shahed-style drone could support the military's Indo-Pacific Command by "providing a viable threat emulator" and offering "a low operational and maintenance cost compared to traditional munitions systems or aircraft."
It said that "this makes the FLM 131 attractive to Joint Forces looking for one-way attack systems that enhance capabilities without increasing costs." The Spektreworks LUCAS design was one out of 18 American-made drone prototypes on display at the Pentagon on Wednesday. The department said that the drones were developed in a period of about 18 months, rather than over years.
There is limited information about the FLM 131, but it looks similar to the FLM 136, a product listed in SpektreWorks' catalogue. The FLM 136 is nearly 10 feet in length and has a wingspan of just over 8 feet. It can cruise at 55 knots and sprint at 100 knots, while carrying a maximum payload of 40 pounds. Spektreworks says that the FLM 136 is "reverse-engineered for authentic threat emulation."
The FLM models strongly resemble the delta-shaped body of the Iranian-designed Shahed, with the straight wingtips and the rounded head. The 131/136 variant designation is also notably used for the Iranian drone. The design presented at the Pentagon is modular, with the ability to swap out parts for different missions: attack, reconnaissance, and communication.
The Iranian-designed Shahed is known as a one-way attack drone, or loitering munition, because it can loiter in the air for a period of time before diving down at its target and detonating on impact.
Russia began using the Iranian-supplied Shaheds against Ukraine in 2022, but it has since started manufacturing them locally. While these weapons are slower than cruise or ballistic missiles, they are much cheaper, allowing Moscow to launch them in large numbers.
Some recent attacks have consisted of hundreds of drones alongside missiles, complicating the strike package and creating challenges for air defenders.
Ukrainian troops and first responders have said that Russia has introduced new tactics with its Shaheds, also known by their Russian designation Geran-2, and have even modified the drones to make them deadlier, such as swapping out their standard explosive payloads for thermobaric warheads.
The proliferation of cheap, one-way attack drones extends beyond Ukraine and has been a problem in the Middle East as well. An attack in Jordan last year, for instance, killed three US service members and injured dozens more. These kinds of weapons have also targeted Israel and ships operating off the coast of Yemen.
Recognizing the increasing threat that drones represent in modern warfare, the Trump administration has made boosting the production of these weapons to keep up with adversaries a priority.
In mid-May, President Donald Trump said the US is coming up with a "new system of drones" and alluded to the Shahed, expressing interest in Iranian designs.
"In the case of Iran, they make a good drone. And they make them for $35,000, $40,000," Trump said of Tehran's drone tech during a roundtable with business leaders in Qatar. "And they're very good too, and fast and deadly. Horrible, actually, when you look at what's happening with Russia and Ukraine. The drone is killing tremendous numbers of people."
In early June, Trump signed an executive order to speed up US drone production, and last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in a memorandum that he is rescinding what was described as "restrictive policies" that stood in the way of production.
"Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year's casualties in Ukraine," Hegseth said in the memo.
"Our adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year," the defense secretary said. "While global military drone production skyrocketed over the last three years, the previous administration deployed red tape. US units are not outfitted with the lethal small drones the modern battlefield requires."
The US military can see that it needs drones for future fights. Drones, for instance, are a key part of the Army's transformation initiative. The Marines have formed an attack drone team to disseminate war lessons from Ukraine to the force. The Air Force is looking at collaborative combat aircraft to fly along its most advanced fighters. And the Navy is exploring using uncrewed vessels to augment the fleet while also training, like the other services, to counter emerging threats.
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