The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Thursday the establishment of Task Force Falcon Strike, a multinational, multi-domain attack-drone task force integrating unmanned systems across air, land, and maritime environments. The unit marks the first of its kind for CENTCOM, combining one-way attack drones operating above, on, and below the sea.
CENTCOM confirmed that Task Force Scorpion Strike, a predecessor unit established nine months prior, will serve as the foundation for the new task force. Scorpion Strike achieved operational milestones including the first aerial drone launch from a U.S. Navy warship in December and the deployment of unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury, as well as strikes using unmanned attack vessels against Iranian port facilities in July.
Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, stated that Task Force Falcon Strike will expand on Scorpion Strike’s success, citing "tremendous innovation" among regional allies and partners. The task force will be led by personnel from the U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), which oversees special operations across CENTCOM’s 21-country area of responsibility, including the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.
Operational Scope and Integration
CENTCOM described the new unit as the first-ever multi-domain, multinational attack-drone task force, designed to integrate attack-drone capabilities across the Middle East. The task force will employ a range of systems, including one-way attack drones operating in aerial, maritime, and submersible domains. SOCCENT, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, will lead the staff comprising U.S. and regional military representatives.
The formation follows the February 28 strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces on Iran, which triggered 38 days of sustained combat operations and subsequent armed clashes. During these operations, the U.S. deployed the FLM-136 Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS) one-way aerial attack drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed-136 design. Additionally, Corsair one-way attack boats were used in strikes against Iran’s Bandar Abbas Naval Base.
Regional Partnerships and Future Expansion
CENTCOM has initiated consultations with regional partners and plans to formally invite them to join Task Force Falcon Strike. The command emphasized that greater integration with regional allies would strengthen the capabilities of participating militaries, describing the initiative as an effort to develop and deploy emerging unmanned technologies collectively.
While CENTCOM did not specify which regional partners have committed to joining, the task force is intended to expand and integrate attack-drone capabilities across the Middle East as additional countries onboard. The initiative reflects a broader trend of increasing reliance on unmanned systems in modern military operations, particularly in contested or high-risk environments.
Background: Task Force Scorpion Strike
Established in late 2023, Task Force Scorpion Strike served as CENTCOM’s first dedicated one-way attack-drone squadron in the Middle East. Its operational achievements included:
- The first launch of an aerial attack drone from a U.S. Navy warship in December 2023.
- Deployment of one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury.
- Use of unmanned attack vessels in strikes against Iranian port facilities in July 2024.
Task Force Falcon Strike is designed to build upon these accomplishments by incorporating regional military partners and expanding the scope of unmanned operations across multiple domains.