U.S. and Japan turn to drones to help offset China's military advantages

U.S. and Japan turn to drones to help offset China's military advantages Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command operating area in November. Just a few years ago, it would have been almost inconceivable for U.S. forces -- the world's most advanced military -- to operate reverse-engineered Iranian drones. But times are changing fast, and so is the nature of warfare, a fact that is also prompting a shift in Japan. As Washington and its allies scramble for combat-proven and low-cost drones, the U.S. Central Command recently announced the launch of a squadron based on the LUCAS kamikaze drone, a system derived from Iran's Shahed-136 loitering munition, versions of which are being used by Russia in Ukraine. The autonomous LUCAS, which is also being tested by the U.S. Navy and Marines, is part of a broader Pentagon push to fast-track the adoption of various small drones across the military, treating them as "consumable or expendable" capabilities similar to bullets, hand grenades and other munitions.