(Zero Hedge)—U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 5th Fleet successfully tested a low-cost kamikaze drone from the deck of the USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), an Independence-class littoral combat ship.
The test of the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) was completed in the Arabian Gulf region and marks a “significant milestone in rapidly delivering affordable and effective unmanned capabilities to the warfighter,” Vice Adm. Curt Renshaw, commander of NAVCENT/C5F, wrote in a statement.
“Bravo Zulu. U.S. Navy forces in the Middle East are advancing warfighting capability in new ways, bringing more striking power from the sea and setting conditions for using innovation as a deterrent.” – Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander https://t.co/TgQ4WLbph3 pic.twitter.com/WUiAVojTht
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 18, 2025
The sea-based test follows U.S. Central Command’s announcement of the U.S. military’s first one-way-attack drone squadron based in the Middle East…
Cheap kamikaze drones are reshaping the modern battlefield by dramatically reducing the cost of precision strikes. Equipped with low-cost warheads, these drones cost a fraction of cruise missiles while being capable of swarming overwhelming missile defense shields. Their effectiveness has been demonstrated repeatedly in Ukraine, where cheap, disposable drones have crippled air defenses, struck critical power grid infrastructure, and oil/gas tankers.
