U.S. Centcom Launches First Multinational Attack Drone Task Force

U.S. Centcom Launches First Multinational Attack Drone Task Force

Image: Army Spc. Kayla McGuire via U.S. DoW

U.S. Central Command has established the first multidomain, multinational attack drone task force, as per a recent press statement. The new unit, named Task Force Falcon Strike, will operate one-way attack drones across air, sea surface and undersea domains. Military support staff from the United States and regional partners will run the systems.

The launch comes nine months after Centcom stood up Task Force Scorpion Strike, the U.S. military’s first dedicated one-way attack drone squadron in the Middle East. Scorpion Strike hit several operational milestones since then. The squadron launched an aerial attack drone from a Navy warship for the first time last December. It also used one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury and during July strikes on Iranian port facilities using unmanned attack vessels at sea.

Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, Centcom commander, commented: “Task Force Falcon Strike will expand on Scorpion Strike’s success given the tremendous innovation happening among our regional allies and partners.” He added: “Integrating and deploying our new capabilities together will help us rapidly realise the new possibilities that are on the horizon.”

Centcom has begun consultations and issued formal invitations to regional partners to join the task force. As partners come on board, Falcon Strike will scale attack drone capabilities across the Middle East into a unified multidomain, multinational deterrent.

Cooper commented: “The United States military has a lot of strong partnerships and friends in the region.” He added: “We are collectively stronger when we integrate and deploy new capabilities together.”

Personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command Central, which launched Scorpion Strike, will lead Falcon Strike’s staff of U.S. and regional representatives.

Learn more on the U.S. DoW website

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