‘Falcon Strike’: US launches first-ever multinational attack-drone task force; Iran in crosshairs
US Central Command (Centcom) on Thursday announced plans to establish Task Force Falcon Strike, described as its first multinational, multi-domain attack-drone task force.The unit will bring together the US and regional military partners to operate one-way attack drones across air, land and maritime domains, including unmanned systems operating above, on and below the sea, Centcom said in a public release.Falcon Strike follows the creation of Task Force Scorpion Strike nine months ago, which Centcom described as the US military’s first dedicated one-way attack-drone squadron in the Middle East.Scorpion Strike achieved several operational milestones, including the first launch of an aerial attack drone from a US Navy warship in December. Centcom said the unit also deployed one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury and used unmanned attack vessels in strikes against Iranian port facilities in July.“Task Force Falcon Strike will expand on Scorpion Strike’s success given the tremendous innovation happening among our regional allies and partners,” Centcom commander Adm Brad Cooper said.Centcom has begun consultations with regional partners and plans to formally invite partners to join the new task force. As countries come on board, the command said Falcon Strike is intended to expand and integrate attack-drone capabilities across the Middle East.US Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), which established Scorpion Strike, will lead the task force’s staff comprising US and regional representatives.SOCCENT is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa and oversees special operations across Centcom’s 21-country area of responsibility, covering the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia.Cooper said greater integration with regional partners would strengthen the capabilities of the participating militaries, describing the initiative as an effort to develop and deploy emerging unmanned technologies collectively.
