At least three powerful new weapons appear to have been deployed by forces from the United States during the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Officials confirmed the use of suicide drones built from reverse-engineered Iranian technology, alongside what appears to be a black-coated Tomahawk missile and a new precision strike missile shown in footage released by the United States Navy and United States Central Command.
Lucas FLM 136, a kamikaze drone modelled on the Iranian Shahed 136, was used in the strikes. Although few technical specifications are public, the system reportedly locates targets beyond line of sight and can adjust to emerging threats in its path. These features make it more capable than versions used by Russia against Ukraine’s infrastructure. The concept appealed to the Pentagon because the drone is inexpensive and simpler to manufacture than conventional missiles. According to Capt Tim Hawkins of the US Navy, speaking to The Warzone last year, Lucas costs roughly thirty five thousand dollars per unit and delivers effects comparable to far more expensive long-range systems. The drones used in Iran were likely ground-launched, though recent demonstrations show they can also be launched from ships.
Footage also revealed a black-painted cruise missile that analysts believe could be an upgraded Maritime Strike Tomahawk. Unlike standard grey Tomahawk missiles, the weapon displayed a full dark coating. Specialists suggested the paint might support radar or infrared suppression. The Warzone noted that such a coating would increase survivability, particularly for maritime strike missions. Missile analyst Fabian Hoffman observed that concerns about Tomahawk visibility have been raised in Europe, making the development plausible. A similar dark silhouette appeared in a promotional slide from the Naval Air Systems Command, although there is no official confirmation that this was the first operational sighting of the upgraded variant.
Another video showed Himars launchers firing the new precision strike missile that replaces the Atacms system used by Ukraine. A fact sheet from Lockheed Martin indicates a range of about five hundred kilometres. The predecessor travels faster than two thousand miles per hour, and the new model is assumed to be comparable or faster. Likely targets in Iran included air defence batteries, radar arrays and other ground-based launch platforms.
