The US military has activated its first-ever one-way attack squadron, operating a derivative of Iran’s prolific Shahed-136 kamikaze drone.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed the creation of the new unit on 3 December, giving it the name Task Force Scorpion Strike. The task force’s priority is to quickly deliver low-cost and effective drone capabilities to frontline troops, according to the Pentagon.

“This new task force sets the conditions for using innovation as a deterrent,” says Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander.

“Equipping our skilled war fighters faster with cutting-edge drone capabilities showcases US military innovation and strength, which deters bad actors,” he adds.

Notably, the first capability be delivered to the new Scorpion Strike task force is a low-cost uncrewed aircraft reverse engineered from Iran’s HESA Shahed-136.

An unspecified number of the new weapon, which has been dubbed the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS), have already been deployed to the Middle East region.

The move marks a major shift for the Pentagon toward offensive applications for low-cost drones, which have up until now been viewed primarily as an air defence problem.