US CENTCOM Launches First Multinational Drone Task Force

JAKARTA - The United States Central Command (US CENTCOM) announced the formation of a multidomain and multinational attack drone task force for the first time, in an announcement on its website Thursday.

The unit, named Task Force Falcon Strike, will use one-way attack drones, which include unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater systems, and are operated by military support staff from the United States and regional partners.

The launch of Falcon Strike comes nine months after CENTCOM formed Task Force Scorpion Strike, a dedicated one-off attack drone squadron for the US military in the Middle East.

Scorpion Strike quickly reached important operational milestones, including the launch of the first air attack drone from a US Navy warship in December. The squadron also used a one-way unmanned aerial system in Operation Epic Fury as well as in an attack on Iranian port facilities in July using an unmanned attack ship at sea.

"Task Force Falcon Strike will build on the success of Scorpion Strike, given the tremendous innovation that has taken place among our regional allies and partners," US CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said on the US CENTCOM website as quoted (14/8).

"Integrating and deploying our new capabilities together will help us quickly realize the many new possibilities that lie ahead," he continued.

The statement further stated that US CENTCOM had begun the process of consultation and official invitations to regional partners.

As regional partners officially join, the Falcon Strike Task Force will expand its offensive drone capabilities across the Middle East into an integrated, multidomain and multinational deterrent force.

"The United States military has many strong partnerships and friends in the region," Admiral Cooper said.

"We become stronger collectively when we integrate and deploy new capabilities together," he said.

Personnel from US Central Command's Special Operations Command (SOCCENT) - which launched Scorpion Strike - will lead the Falcon Strike staff, which consists of representatives from the US and regional countries.

Based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, SOCCENT plans and executes special operations throughout the CENTCOM area of responsibility, which includes 21 countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.