U.S. Deploys Shahed-136 Clones To Middle East As A Warning To Iran

美国向中东部署仿制版"沙希德-136"无人机，对伊朗发出警告

The U.S. possessing long-range one-way attack drones at all is a major development, but deploying them "to flip the scxt on Iran" is even a bigger deal.

美国拥有远距离自杀式无人机本身就是重大进展，而将其部署"以扭转对伊朗局势"则更具战略意义。

The U.S. military has stood up its first operational unit armed with Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS) kamikaze drones, a design reverse-engineered from the Iranian-designed Shahed-136, in the Middle East. The establishment of Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS) is a major development, and offers a way “to flip the scxt on Iran,” according to a U.S. official. Earlier this year, TWZ laid out a detailed case for why America’s armed forces should be investing heavily in rapidly-produced Shahed-136 clones as an adaptable capability that could be critical in future operations globally, as you can read here.

美军在中东部署了一支装备低成本无人作战攻击系统（LUCAS）自杀式无人机的首批作战部队，该系统系仿制伊朗设计的见证者-136 无人机。美国官员表示，组建"蝎子打击特遣部队"是一项重大进展，提供了"逆转伊朗剧本"的手段。今年早些时候，本刊曾详细阐述为何美军应大量投资快速生产的见证者-136 复制机型（详见此处报道）——这种可灵活调整的能力对未来全球作战至关重要。

U.S. Central Command announced the creation of TFSS today, which it said is a direct response to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance” initiative that kicked off earlier this year. TFSS falls more specifically under the auspices of U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), which oversees U.S. special operations activities across the Middle East. CENTCOM’s Rapid Employment Joint Task Force (REJTF), established in September to help fast-track the fielding of new capabilities in the region, was also involved.

美国中央司令部今日宣布成立"特遣部队自主打击系统"(TFSS)，称这是对国防部长皮特·赫格赛斯今年早些时候启动的"释放美军无人机主导优势"倡议的直接响应。该部队具体由负责中东地区特种作战的美国中央特种作战司令部(SOCCENT)管辖。今年 9 月成立的中央司令部快速部署联合特遣队(REJTF)也参与其中，该部队旨在加速向战区部署新型作战能力。

TFSS consists of about two dozen troops that will oversee the establishment and operations of drones, the U.S. official told us, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. The delta wing LUCAS drone, which is roughly 10 feet long and has a wingspan of eight feet, was developed by Arizona-based SpektreWorks in cooperation with the U.S. military.

一位不愿透露姓名的美国官员告诉我们，特遣部队支援小队（TFSS）由约二十多名士兵组成，负责监督无人机的部署和作战行动。这款三角翼 LUCAS 无人机长约 10 英尺，翼展 8 英尺，由亚利桑那州的 SpektreWorks 公司与美军合作开发。

“I do not want to get into numbers [of drones fielded], but they are definitely based and delivered at an amount that provides us with a significant level of capability,” the official added. The LUCAS design includes features that allow for “autonomous coordination, making them suitable for swarm tactics and network-centric strikes.”

"我不便透露具体部署数量，"该官员补充道，"但它们的部署规模确实为我们提供了显著作战能力。"LUCAS 设计具有"自主协同功能，适合集群战术和网络中心式打击。"

“Costing approximately $35,000 per platform, LUCAS is a low-cost, scalable system that provides cutting-edge capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional long-range U.S. systems that can deliver similar effects,” Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, also told TWZ. “The drone system has an extensive range and the ability to operate beyond line of sight, providing significant capability across CENTCOM’s vast operating area.”

"LUCAS 系统的单平台造价约为 3.5 万美元，这种低成本、可扩展的系统能以传统远程打击系统几分之一的代价，提供与之相当的尖端作战能力。"中央司令部海军上校兼发言人蒂姆·霍金斯向战区杂志透露，"该无人机系统具备长航程与超视距作战能力，能有效覆盖中央司令部责任区的广阔作战空域。"

“LUCAS drones deployed by CENTCOM have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously,” CENTCOM added in a press release. “They can be launched with different mechanisms to include catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems.”

中央司令部在新闻稿中补充说明："中央司令部部署的 LUCAS 无人机具有超远航程，专为自主作战设计。它们可通过多种方式发射，包括弹射器、火箭助推起飞装置，以及机动地面和车载发射系统。"

“We can push them from various points,” the U.S. official told TWZ when asked about whether the LUCAS drones could be launched from ships. “They can be launched through various mechanisms, and land is not the only place from which to launch these.”

"我们可从多个点位部署它们，"当被问及 LUCAS 无人机是否支持舰载发射时，这位美国官员告诉战区杂志，"通过多种发射机制都能实现，陆地并非唯一的发射选择。"

As an aside here, TWZ has previously explored in great depth the arguments for adding a variety of drone types to the arsenals of U.S. Navy ships to provide additional layers of defense, as well as enhanced strike, electronic warfare, intelligence-gathering, and networking capabilities, which you can find here.

值得一提的是，《战区》曾深入探讨过为美国海军舰艇配备多种无人机以增强防御层次的观点，这类装备还可提升打击能力、电子战手段、情报收集及网络协同作战效能，详情可参阅相关报道。

Overall, the LUCAS drone’s core design was based directly on the Shahed-136.

总体而言，LUCAS 无人机的核心设计直接源于沙赫德-136 的蓝图。

“The U.S. military got hold of an Iranian Shahed,” according to the U.S. official. “We took a look and reverse-engineered it. We are working with a number of U.S. companies in the innovation space.”

据美方官员透露："美军获得了伊朗沙赫德无人机的实物，通过逆向工程进行研究。目前正与多家美国创新企业开展合作。"

“The LUCAS drone is the product of that [reverse-engineering] effort,” they added. “It pretty much follows the Shahed design.”

“LUCAS 无人机正是这一逆向工程的产物，”他们补充道，“其设计几乎完全仿效了沙希德型号。”

SpektreWorks’ website provides basic specifications for a related target drone design called the FLM 136, which has a stated maximum range of 444 miles and can stay aloft for up to six hours. Its total payload capacity, not counting fuel, is 40 pounds, and it cruises at a speed of around 74 knots (with a dash speed of up to 105 knots). Whether these details reflect the capabilities of the operationalized LUCAS design is unclear.

SpektreWorks 公司官网上列出了一款名为 FLM 136 的靶机基本参数，标称最大航程 444 英里，最长滞空时间 6 小时。不含燃料的有效载荷为 40 磅，巡航速度约 74 节（最高冲刺速度可达 105 节）。不过这些参数是否适用于已实战部署的 LUCAS 型号尚不明确。

For comparison, the baseline Shahed-136, which is powered by a small 50-horsepower internal combustion engine, has a top speed of around 100 knots (185 kilometers per hour) and a maximum range of approximately 1,242 miles (2,000 kilometers) while carrying an 88-pound (40-kilogram) warhead, according to the U.S. Army’s Operational Environment Data Integration Network (ODIN) training portal. It was designed to strike static targets based on targeting data programmed in before launch. Iran has shown additional versions over the years with other guidance options, as well as a jet-powered derivative. Russia also now produces a still-expanding array of variants and derivatives of this design, referred to locally as the Geran. Iran and Russia have both been notably working to integrate more dynamic targeting capabilities into their respective versions of the drone.

作为对比，根据美国陆军作战环境数据整合网络(ODIN)训练门户的数据，基础型沙赫德-136 无人机搭载 50 马力小型内燃机，最高速度约 100 节（185 公里/小时），携带 88 磅（40 公斤）战斗部时最大航程约 1242 英里（2000 公里）。该机型设计用于根据发射前预设的目标数据攻击固定目标。多年来伊朗还展示了配备其他制导模式的改进型号，以及喷气动力衍生版本。俄罗斯现在也生产该设计的多种变体与衍生型号（俄方称为"天竺葵"），其类型仍在不断增加。值得注意的是，伊朗和俄罗斯都在努力为各自版本的无人机集成更具动态性的目标打击能力。

Iranian forces, as well as the country’s various regional proxies in the Middle East, have extensively employed variations of the Shahed-136 in combat in recent years, especially against targets in Israel. Russian forces routinely use their versions of the drones in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. U.S. military experience aiding in the defense of Israel, as well as observations from the war in Ukraine, have been key drivers in recent pushes to develop and field new drone and counter-drone capabilities, now including the LUCAS design.

近年来，伊朗武装力量及其在中东地区的众多代理人广泛使用"见证者-136"无人机的多种改进型号投入实战，尤其针对以色列目标展开攻击。俄军目前在乌克兰战场上亦频繁使用本国版本的此类无人机。美军通过协助以色列防务积累的实战经验，以及观察乌克兰战争中的无人机运用，成为近期加速开发列装新型无人机及反无人机系统的关键动因，而 LUCAS 无人机设计正是这一战略的最新体现。

Beyond the particulars of the LUCAS drones themselves, the confirmation that an operational American unit in the Middle East is now armed with them is a major development. Before now, at least publicly, the U.S. military had only shown concrete interest in LUCAS and similar designs for use as threat representative targets for testing and training purposes rather than as operational weapons.

除 LUCAS 无人机本身的技术细节外，美军作战部队已在中东地区实际列装该型武器的确认意义重大。此前至少公开层面显示，美国军方仅将 LUCAS 及类似设计明确作为测试训练的威胁模拟靶标，而非实战武器系统进行发展。

“We are now at a point where not only are we building them in mass, but we have already based them in [the] Middle East for the first time,” the U.S. official stressed to TWZ. “In essence, we are able to flip the scxt on Iran.”

"当前我们不仅实现量产突破，更首次在中东地区完成实战部署，"这位美国官员向《战区》强调，"实质上我们正在逆转与伊朗的博弈态势。"

“I’ll let you read between the lines, but the fact that we are basing it where we are basing it, and the fact that we have seen what the Russians have done to Ukraine, what Iran has done to fomenting instability with the use of drone technology, the 12-Day War threats they posed to Israel and how partners and allies have to expend vast amounts of resources to defend against these attacks, we are now taking a page from their playbook and throwing it back at them,” the U.S. official continued. “In essence, Iran enjoyed overmatch and an advantage through the high volume of drone attacks they were able to effectively deploy, and they are hard to defend against at such a high volume.”

"具体用意留待各位解读，但关键在于我们选择在当前区域部署，并且目睹了俄罗斯对乌克兰的行径，伊朗如何利用无人机技术煽动不稳定局势，他们对以色列发起的‘12 日战争’威胁，以及盟友不得不耗费大量资源防御这类攻击——现在我们以其人之道还治其人之身，"这位美国官员继续说道。"本质上，伊朗曾凭借其大规模有效部署的无人机攻击占据非对称优势，如此高强度的打击确实令人防不胜防。"

To date, TFSS has not employed its LUCAS drones in real combat operations, but they have been launched at test targets in the region to demonstrate their capabilities, according to the U.S. official.

据该美国官员透露，特遣部队安全支持小组（TFSS）的 LUCAS 无人机迄今尚未投入实战，但已在该地区针对测试目标进行发射，以验证其作战能力。

“We are shoring up our defense, and a good defense can sometimes be a good offense, as well,” they added. “We are adding an offensive firepower capability that we have seen, [that] can be effective, especially when you have a country [that] previously wreaked havoc with this technology, now vulnerable.”

"我们正在加强防御，而有时强有力的防御也能转化为有效的进攻，"他们补充道。"我们正在增加一种进攻性火力能力，这种能力已被证实行之有效——尤其当此前滥用该技术制造混乱的国家，如今自身反受其害时。"

In addition to Iran, “we don’t have a problem hitting the [Iranian-backed] Houthis [in Yemen], we could throw it in their face as well,” the U.S. official continued. However, “with the Houthis, you have more of a target-find problem, [rather] than sending a bunch of things into Iran with lots of stuff to hit.”

除伊朗外，"打击（伊朗支持的）也门胡塞武装对我们而言不成问题，也能用这招敲打他们，"这位美国官员继续说道。不过"对付胡塞武装时，我们面临的更多是目标定位难题，而非像在伊朗境内那样有大量可打击目标。"

The official also noted that the U.S. government currently has a formal ceasefire in place with the Houthis.

该官员同时指出，美国政府当前与胡塞武装保持着正式停火协议。

As mentioned, the benefits that Shahed-type drones could offer U.S. forces extend well beyond the Middle East. This includes the sheer mass of additional strike capacity and the ability, by extension, to overwhelm finite enemy defensive assets. This all aligns well with broader efforts across the services to extend the scale and scope of their long-range fires capabilities, especially when it comes to fielding new, lower-cost, and readily producible weapon systems. TWZ‘s feature in September explored these realities in deep detail.

正如所述，"见证者"系列无人机能为美军带来的优势远不止于中东地区。这包括显著增加的打击能力总量，以及由此衍生的压制敌方有限防御资源的能力。这些特性完美契合了美军各军种扩大远程火力规模与范围的整体战略，尤其在部署新型低成本、可快速量产的武器系统方面。战区网站 9 月份的专题报道对此进行了深入剖析。

These are capabilities that could also be steadily built upon as time goes on, especially if the designs are highly modular and put emphasis on open architectures for the integration of new and improved capabilities. As we wrote:

这些能力还将随时间推移持续升级，特别是当设计采用高度模块化并注重开放架构时，便于整合新型及改进型功能。正如我们此前所述：

“Modern positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) technologies will only improve upon this resilience to electronic warfare, even for those drones configured to strike with precision. Basic infusion of artificial intelligence (AI) is fast approaching over the horizon for lower-end drones, which will enable adaptive autonomous navigation without GPS and strikes even on mobile targets of opportunity. Again, you can read all about this in our previous feature lixed here. Electronic warfare will not be able to impact these systems.”

现代定位、导航与授时（PNT）技术的进步将持续增强无人机在电子战环境下的生存能力，即便是用于精确打击的机型也不例外。人工智能基础功能即将普及至低端无人机，使其无需 GPS 即可实现自适应自主导航，甚至能对移动的临时目标实施打击。关于这一领域的详细分析，可点击此处阅读我们往期专题报道。这类系统将完全不受电子战手段影响。

“The key takeaway is that having tens of thousands of real threats that cost a fraction of the price of a standard cruise or ballistic missile, ready to gobble up precious air defense effectors, will be an absolutely critical factor in any major future conflict.”

"关键在于，拥有数万个成本仅为标准巡航导弹或弹道导弹零头的真实威胁，随时准备吞噬宝贵的防空力量，这将成为未来任何重大冲突中绝对关键的因素。"

“We will continue to develop these platforms,” like LUCAS, the U.S. official also told us. “One of the upsides to them is that they are not only scalable systems, but they can be developed and improved over time.”

"我们将继续研发这类平台，"美国官员在谈到 LUCAS 等项目时告诉我们。"它们的优势之一在于不仅是可扩展系统，还能随时间推移不断改进升级。"

SpektreWorks is not the only company in this marketspace. In the United States, at least one other firm, Griffon Aerospace, has been pitching a Shahed-esque drone called the MQM-172 Arrowhead to America’s armed forces.

斯佩克特雷沃克公司（SpektreWorks）并非该领域唯一玩家。在美国本土，至少还有格里芬航空航天公司（Griffon Aerospace）正向美军推销名为 MQM-172"箭头"的沙赫德式无人机。

While the general concept has existed for decades, similar delta-winged one-way attack munitions are steadily emerging globally among allies and potential foes alike, including in China. Russia is also said to be assisting North Korea in establishing its own domestic capacity to produce Shahed-136s, or derivatives thereof, as part of an exchange for Pyongyang’s help in fighting Ukraine.

尽管这类三角翼单向攻击弹药的概念已存在数十年，但类似装备正在全球盟友及潜在对手（包括中国）中加速涌现。据报道，俄罗斯正协助朝鲜建立本国"见证者-136"无人机或其衍生型号的生产能力，以此换取平壤当局在俄乌战争中对莫斯科的支持。

At the same time, while today’s announcement about TFSS and its LUCAS drones is significant, it is still being presented heavily as a regionally limited capability to be employed by special operations forces. Whether or not there are efforts to stand up similar units elsewhere within the U.S. military in other locales is unclear. Top U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force officers have openly expressed an extremely high desire to field a Shahed-like kamikaze drone capability as soon as possible.

与此同时，尽管今天宣布的"任务部队空中支援"系统（TFSS）及其 LUCAS 无人机具有重要意义，但官方仍将其定位为由特种部队使用的区域性有限能力。目前尚不清楚美国军方是否会在其他战区组建类似作战单位。美国陆军和空军高层将领已公开表示，他们迫切希望尽快部署类似伊朗"见证者-136"的自杀式无人机。

Still, the U.S. military’s standing up of its first operational unit armed with Shahed-like long-range kamikaze drones is a major development — one that has a high chance of serving as a springboard to much broader fielding of similar capabilities.

美军首支装备"见证者"类远程自杀式无人机的实战部队成立，仍是一个重大进展——这极可能成为更广泛部署同类能力的跳板。