Phoenix-based SpektreWorks is producing the LUCAS (Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System) (reverse engineered Shahed type Drone)

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Phoenix-based SpektreWorks is producing the LUCAS (Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System) drone, a $35,000 "kamikaze" drone used to disrupt Iranian defenses during the 2026 conflict. Reverse-engineered from Iranian Shahed drones, these autonomous drones are used for Operation Epic Fury to overwhelm radar systems and strike military sites. 

Key Details on LUCAS Drones:

• Manufacturer: Phoenix-based SpektreWorks.
• Design: Modeled after Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones.
• Cost: Estimated at
  

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The introduction of these low-cost systems, highlighted by Reuters, reflects a major shift in U.S. military strategy toward using, per this Trending Topics article, rapid, cost-effective, and AI-enabled weaponry. 

• Phoenix-based company's LUCAS drone changes war in Iran

  Mar 3, 2026 — Aviation analyst Alex Hollings, editor in chief of Sandbox News, joins ABC15 to break down how low-cost LUCAS drones are changing ...

  

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per unit, allowing for, as described in this YouTube video, scalable, swarm, and saturation attacks to destroy high-value defenses.

Combat Use: First used in combat during Feb 2026 against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to target missile/drone sites and air defense nodes.

Capabilities: ~10-foot long drones, often described as a "poor man's cruise missile" or in this YouTube video as a "suicide drone", they use GPS to hit pre-programmed targets. 

Phoenix-made “LUCAS” kamikaze drones used in combat for ...

Mar 2, 2026 — yeah first time it's ever been used in combat And they're called lowcost unmanned combat attack system or Lucas drones They are on...

YouTube·Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)

Expert explains use of Phoenix-made low cost drones in Iran

Mar 3, 2026 — Phoenix-made Lucas drones, reverse-engineered from Iranian Shahed 136s, offer a low-cost, scalable option for saturation attacks.

YouTube·ABC15 Arizona