Alwaght- The US has always been boasting about being the world’s top country with state-of-the-art technology, claiming that it innovates and other countries imitate. But this is not true at least when it comes to drones. According to the National Interest, the US has unveiled a new drone imitating Iran’s prominent Shahed-class drones, something signaling a shift in the equation of the world drone power.
The American magazine reports that the US is developing a new combat drone modeled directly on Iran’s Shahed UAV technology, calling the move a striking reversal in global military-technology patterns. According to the report, the US Marine Corps is developing a system known as the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, which is described in practice as an almost direct counterpart to Iran’s Shahed drones.
The article argues that for years the US portrayed itself as the world’s leader in military technology, casting others as mere “copycats,” but that this dynamic has shifted in the drone domain. It notes that countries such as China, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine have invested heavily in UAV development, while the US has grown complacent. The National Interest emphasizes that Iran, particularly through its Shahed drones, has emerged as the most influential drone power in the world, with these systems playing a prominent role in recent conflicts. According to the magazine, Shahed drones, especially the Shahed-136, are now widely used across the globe.
The US outlet adds that Washington obtained a Shahed drone and, after dissecting its technology, developed the American LUCAS version. The report also claims that Iran laid the foundations of its drone program in 2011 by reverse-engineering the US RQ-170 drone, a process that enabled the production of early Shahed models. Iran then went on to develop more advanced systems, which the article describes as now exceeding US production capabilities.
Concerns about imitating Iranian drone
The magazine refers to the low cost of this drone, around $35,000, adding that the US Department of War is seeking to mass-produce this drone in association with multiple manufacturers. Pentagon leaders have likened this approach to the LUCAS drone development to that of the old Liberty ships that once filled the US fleet during World War II.
National interest warns that the US is literally copying the Iranian military technology and this should be regarded at seriously. It further says that Iranian drone capabilities are, just contrary to the picture promoted by Washington, are not backward. It also winds what other technologies Iran holds that can pose a true threat to the US and allied forces.
American drone based on Iranian technology
According to reports, the Shahed-136 is a one-way attack loitering munition. It is powered by a piston engine with a rear-mounted pusher propeller, which produces its distinctive and relatively loud sound, often described as resembling a “motorbike” or a “lawn mower.”
The American version of the drone is produced by SpektreWorks and is known as the FLM-136. According to the company, the drone was redesigned and replicated based on a Shahed model obtained either from West Asia or from Ukraine. Using a 215cc carbureted internal combustion engine, the drone is capable of flying for up to six hours.
The cost of each Shahed drone is estimated at between $20,000 and $50,000. The US version has been developed under the LUCAS program. LUCAS is approximately three meters long with a wingspan of about 2.4 meters and has been developed by the American firm SpektreWorks in cooperation with the US military.
The reported $35,000 price tag for the LUCAS drone likely does not include the rocket launch booster or the initial research and development costs associated with its production. Like the Shahed and the Russian Geran drones, the American model relies on GPS guidance. Russia is known to have made substantial modifications to the GPS systems of its variants, including the use of advanced anti-jamming antennas and the integration of artificial intelligence capabilities in the Geran-2. The latest Russian versions have also been optimized for coordinated swarm operations.
Low-quality imitation
An American official has commented on using Iran’s drone technology saying: “The American military obtained an Iranian Shahed. We examined it and reverse-engineered it, and we are now working with several American companies. LUCAS is the product of that effort and follows virtually the same design as the Shahed.”
According to SpektreWorks, this version has a range of around 714 kilometers with 18 kilogram payload, capable of flying with 137 k/h speed.
The interesting point is that despite imitation of the Iranian drone, the Iranian model remains to have the upper hand in performance. Shahed-136, with a 50 hp engine has average speed of 185 k/h and a range of around 2,000 kilometers with a payload of 40 kilograms.
A familiar copy
The LUCAS drone is not the first instance of the US replicating Iran’s Shahed UAV design. About six months ago, an American aerospace company unveiled a new drone whose features strongly suggested it was modeled on a powerful Iranian platform. According to Interesting Engineering, US-based Griffon Aerospace introduced a drone whose visual design and operational concept closely resembled Iran’s Shahed, fueling speculation that Washington was again copying this technology.
The drone, known as the MQM‑172 Arrowhead, is designed both as an aerial target for military training and as a platform that can be converted into a loitering munitions, precisely the dual role Iran’s Shahed drones have played on the battlefield for years.
Notably, the manufacturer’s marketing highlights the drone’s dual-use capability, a defining feature long evident in Iranian UAV design and doctrine. The Arrowhead can carry a 45‑kilogram payload and, depending on the mission, can be fitted with reconnaissance equipment or an explosive warhead. Iran, by contrast, has possessed and operationalized such capabilities for years, using them in real combat environments.
