The U.S. Central Command announced efforts to establish the first multidomain, multinational attack drone task force on August 13.
Falcon Strike’s launch occurs nine months after Centcom established Task Force Scorpion Strike, the U.S. military’s first dedicated one-way attack drone squadron in the Middle East.
Scorpion Strike rapidly achieved key operational milestones, including the first launch of an aerial attack drone from a Navy warship last December. The squadron also employed one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury and during strikes on Iranian port facilities in July using unmanned attack vessels at sea.
Nick Fancher, a shipboard weapons integration team weapons logistics analyst, and Rob Pavel, a logistician with Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, conduct shipboard weapons integration work on the low-cost unmanned combat attack system aboard the combat ship USS Santa Barbara in the Arabian Gulf, Dec. 6, 2025, as part of Task Force Scorpion Strike operations
“Task Force Falcon Strike will expand on Scorpion Strike’s success given the tremendous innovation happening among our regional allies and partners,”
said Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, Centcom commander.
“Integrating and deploying our new capabilities together will help us rapidly realize the new possibilities that are on the horizon.”
Centcom has initiated consultations with official invitations to regional partners. As regional partners formally join, Task Force Falcon Strike will scale attack drone capabilities across the Middle East into a unified multi-domain, multinational deterrent.
ARABIAN GULF (Dec. 16, 2025) A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) launches from the flight deck of the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) while operating in the Arabian Gulf, Dec. 16, 2025. Prior to the launch, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s Shipboard Weapons Integration Team validated that the ship could safely store, move, and handle the system at sea. Task Force 59 operated the LUCAS drone as part of Task Force Scorpion Strike operations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kayla McGuire)
Cooper said.
“We are collectively stronger when we integrate and deploy new capabilities together.”
Personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command Central, which launched Scorpion Strike, will lead Falcon Strike’s staff of U.S. and regional representatives.
Top Photo: A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) launches from the flight deck of the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) while operating in the Arabian Gulf, Dec. 16, 2025. Prior to the launch, shipboard weapons integration assessments helped ensure the system could be safely stored, moved, and handled at sea. Task Force 59 operated the LUCAS drone as part of Task Force Scorpion Strike operations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kayla McGuire)
Source: U.S. Department of War