The United States has deployed its first operational kamikaze drone unit to the Middle East, with the force now ready to participate in potential strikes on Iran if ordered by President Donald Trump.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the Pentagon’s first one-way attack drone formation, the Task Force Scorpion, is now operational and prepared for combat missions as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.
U.S. officials and analysts told Bloomberg that the drone unit is capable of participating in military operations targeting Iranian infrastructure if diplomatic efforts fail and Trump authorizes military action.
A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed that the unit has evolved from an experimental program and is now ready for operational deployment.
The development marks a significant expansion of U.S. military capabilities in the Middle East as Washington continues to build up forces across the region amid ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Pentagon’s first Kamikaze Drone Squadron
Task Force Scorpion was first announced in December 2025, when U.S. Central Command unveiled the military’s first one-way attack drone squadron based in the Middle East.
CENTCOM, in a statement on December 3, noted that the unit was established four months after U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the acceleration of affordable drone technologies to enhance battlefield capabilities.
The task force quickly assembled a squadron of Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones, which are specifically designed for one-way strike missions.
These drones are relatively inexpensive, costing approximately $35,000 per unit, and are intended to overwhelm enemy defenses through mass deployment.
“LUCAS drones deployed by CENTCOM have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously. They can be launched with different mechanisms to include catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems.”
The drones are primarily designed to strike softer targets, such as missile launch sites, radar installations, and logistical infrastructure.
U.S. Central Command described the initiative as a major step toward rapidly equipping deployed forces with advanced capabilities.
“This new task force sets the conditions for using innovation as a deterrent,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said at the time. “Equipping our skilled warfighters faster with cutting-edge drone capabilities showcases U.S. military innovation and strength, which deters bad actors.”
According to CENTCOM, the program is part of a broader Pentagon initiative to accelerate the deployment of emerging technologies through the Rapid Employment Joint Task Force.
The force focuses on capability development, software integration, and technological coordination among military branches.
Personnel from Special Operations Command Central played a key role in building the new drone squadron.
Preparations against Iran
The activation of Task Force Scorpion comes as the United States intensifies military preparations across the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran.
Also Read: Iran Checkmates Trump by Moving Millions of Oil Barrels Before Imminent Attack
According to Fox News, Washington has reduced staffing at the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain to “mission critical” levels, leaving fewer than 100 personnel at the facility.
The move mirrors similar preparations carried out ahead of Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025, when U.S. forces launched strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Satellite imagery cited in a report by the Associated Press also indicated that all U.S. naval vessels stationed at the Fifth Fleet headquarters have departed port and moved into open waters.
The United States has also surged military assets into the Middle East in recent weeks as discussions continue over the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
Expanding U.S. military presence
Earlier this week, the guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, bringing the number of American warships in nearby waters to at least 12.
Additional destroyers remain deployed as part of carrier strike groups led by the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Naval monitoring has identified U.S. destroyers operating in the eastern Mediterranean near the Souda Bay naval facility, while other vessels have been tracked in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.
Also Read: US Empties Key Foreign Naval Base as Fears of Iran War Grow
Washington has also reinforced its air power alongside naval deployments with twelve F-22 stealth fighter jets this week departing Royal Air Force Lakenheath in the United Kingdom and are being deployed to an Israeli air force base as part of the growing U.S. military buildup.
Additional aircraft entering the region include F-35, F-15, and F-16 fighter jets, as well as aerial refueling tankers and transport aircraft.
Reports indicate that five KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft were dispatched to Israel from Portsmouth International Airport in New Hampshire, while another tanker departed Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina.
Open-source flight analysts have tracked hundreds of U.S. military cargo flights into the Middle East since mid-February.
Six additional cargo planes departed from a German airbase toward the region on Wednesday evening, bringing the total number of U.S. cargo flights to more than 300 since mid-January.
The growing military buildup comes as diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran continue in an effort to prevent a new Middle East conflict.
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