A Florida fishing charter unexpectedly reeled in a suspected US military drone believed to be a Shahed-136 clone. (Photo: Hot Spot Charters)
The aircraft are approximately 9.8 feet (2.9 metres) long, have a wingspan of 8.2 feet and weigh about 70 pounds, according to the information provided in the report. An Eglin Air Force Base spokesperson confirmed that a drone had gone missing from the base’s inventory, although the Air Force did not identify the model, according to defense publication The War Zone. The US Air Force announced late last year that it had developed a clone of the Iranian-designed aircraft under the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, programme.
“Riding along offshore and saw it floating,” he said. US Central Command announced in early March that LUCAS drones were being used in the war with Iran, describing their deployment as “delivering American-made retribution.” The drones are manufactured by Arizona-based SpektreWorks.
