one-way drones Archives

The Army Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Special Operations Command, executed a successful flight demonstration involving the first launch of the Air-Launched, Tube-Integrated Unmanned System (Altius) 700 air vehicle on Dec. 3, 2023, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. (Army photo by Daniel Henke)

SOCOM interested in developing long-range kamikaze drones

SOCOM is interested in air-launched, one-way-attack drones that have an extended range of at least 75 nautical miles, according to a new RFI.

4 days ago By Mikayla Easley

Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command. (Photo by CENTCOM Public Affairs).

Pentagon selects Shield AI to plug swarm software into LUCAS drone, company says

Shield AI said its Hivemind software will “serve as the AI pilot for the LUCAS program, enabling groups of drones to coordinate, maneuver, and adapt together to…

May 20, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence

A map shows the Strait of Hormuz on a laptop computer screen in this photo illustration in Athens, Greece, on March 3, 2026. (Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Hormuz and the defense posture we don’t have

What is unfolding now is an inconvenient truth.

May 15, 2026 By Rear Adm. (Ret.) Milton "Jamie" Sands III

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy A. George join “Fox and Friends” to discuss the new Department of Defense memorandum on Army transformation and acquisition reform, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 1, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)

Army buys Red Dragon long-range attack drones

The service also awarded AeroVironment another contract for its P550 reconnaissance drone.

Mar 23, 2026 By Jon Harper

Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command operating area, Nov. 23. (DVIDS -Courtesy Photo)

DOD’s arsenal of LUCAS drones ‘in the dozens’ amid their combat debut

“We’re not in full-rate production. So, we shipped what we had” to U.S. Central Command, Pentagon CTO Emil Michael told DefenseScoop.

Mar 17, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

Smoke rises after airstrikes in Tehran, Iran on March 13, 2026. Successive explosions were heard across the Iranian capital Tehran on Friday, amid continuing regional tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Iran’s drone assaults ‘down 95%’ as Hegseth declares Operation Epic Fury is still ‘ramping up’

The U.S.-led, Israel-coordinated military campaign aims to destroy Iran's leadership, military capabilities and nuclear infrastructure.

Mar 13, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

Screenshot of a DOD video of Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael and Defense Innovation Unit Director Travis Metz observing a drone dominance demonstration at Fort Benning, Ga., March 2, 2026. (DoW video by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Dennis Buzard)

British company tops leaderboard for Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Program

The DOD announced the winners of the program's first "Gauntlet."

Mar 9, 2026 By Jon Harper

Fragments of Shahed drones are found at the sites of Russian strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on September 19, 2025 (Photo by Viacheslav Madiievskyi/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images).

Pentagon’s counter-drone task force visited Kyiv before joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran to see how Ukrainians fight UAS

“I did go to Ukraine, and I went to understand the technology that they’re using to protect their sites and their people from the threat of unmanned…

Mar 5, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence

Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones seen positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operating area, Nov. 23, 2025. The LUCAS platforms are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Courtesy Photo)

After first combat appearance, LUCAS drones ‘remain ready’ for future Epic Fury strikes against Iran

The one-way attack drones "remain ready for employment,” a U.S. Central Command spokesperson told DefenseScoop.

Mar 2, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a drone demonstration at the Pentagon, July 10, 2025. The event was hosted to portray the Secretary of Defense’s initiative of Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Alondra Y. Lopez Gonzalez)

Pentagon could award just 3 vendors for biggest phase of Drone Dominance Program

The Pentagon anticipates buying 150,000 drones in the final phase of the initiative.

Feb 13, 2026 By Jon Harper