Florida/USA, August 14 (QNA) - US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced efforts to establish its first multinational task force dedicated to one-way attack drone operations.

In a statement issued Thursday, CENTCOM said the unit, known as Task Force Falcon Strike, will employ one-way attack drones, including unmanned systems operating in the air, on the surface and below the sea. The systems will be operated by military support personnel from the United States and regional partner countries.

The launch of Falcon Strike comes nine months after CENTCOM established Task Force Scorpion Strike, the US military's first dedicated one-way-attack drone squadron in the Middle East.

CENTCOM said Scorpion Strike has rapidly achieved significant operational milestones, including the first-ever launch of an aerial attack drone from a US Navy warship in December 2025.

Scorpion Strike has also employed one-way unmanned aerial systems in combat, including during Operation Epic Fury, which began in February 2026. CENTCOM said the task force's LUCAS drones were used for the first time in combat during the operation.

"Task Force Falcon Strike will expand on Scorpion Strike's success given the tremendous innovation happening among our regional allies and partners," said Commander of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper. "Integrating and deploying our new capabilities together will help us rapidly realize the new possibilities that are on the horizon."

CENTCOM has begun consultations with regional partners and has formally invited them to participate in the initiative. As partners formally join the task force, Falcon Strike is expected to expand attack-drone capabilities across the Middle East, creating what CENTCOM described as a unified, multinational, multi-domain deterrent.

Personnel from US Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), which launched Task Force Scorpion Strike, will lead the Falcon Strike staff, which will include US and regional representatives.

CENTCOM said the initiative reflects its broader effort to accelerate the integration of emerging unmanned technologies and strengthen cooperation with regional partners. (QNA)