US Deploys Low-Cost LUCAS Drones Amid Losses to Iran's Shahed 136 Drone Fleet

The US has lost 11 to 13 MQ-9 Reaper drones, valued at over $330 million, during the ongoing Iran conflict, highlighting vulnerabilities against Iran's advanced air defenses. In response, the US is deploying the low-cost LUCAS drones, priced around $35,000, to counter Iran's mass-produced Shahed 136 kamikaze drones. This cost disparity enables Iran to field large drone fleets, shifting aerial combat dynamics through saturation attacks rather than precision strikes.