Falcon Strike… What Do We Know About the First Multinational Strike Drone Task Force?

Nine months after U.S. Central Command established the Scorpion Strike task force, the first U.S. military unit in the Middle East dedicated to one-way attack drones, CENTCOM announced the creation of the first multinational task force dedicated to strike drones.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced efforts to establish the first multinational task force dedicated to multidomain operations using attack drones.

What do we know about this force?

• It has been named the Falcon Strike Task Force.
• It will use one-way attack drones, including unmanned systems operating in the air, on the surface of the sea, and underwater.
• It will be operated by U.S. military support teams and regional partners.
• It will expand attack-drone capabilities across the Middle East with the aim of creating a unified, multinational, multidomain deterrent force.
• Personnel from U.S. Central Command’s Special Operations Command, which previously launched the Scorpion Strike task force, will lead the Falcon Strike team, composed of U.S. and regional representatives.
• The CENTCOM Special Operations Command is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.
• It is responsible for planning and conducting special operations within CENTCOM’s area of responsibility, which covers 21 countries across the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, said: “The Falcon Strike Task Force will build on the success of Scorpion Strike, given the tremendous innovation taking place among our regional allies and partners.”

He added that “integrating and jointly deploying our new capabilities will help us rapidly realize the new potential emerging on the horizon.”

CENTCOM has begun consultations with regional partners and has issued formal invitations to them. Cooper said: “The U.S. military has many strong partnerships and friendships throughout the region,” adding: “We are stronger together when we integrate new capabilities and deploy them jointly.”

The launch of the Falcon Strike unit comes nine months after U.S. Central Command established the Scorpion Strike task force, the first U.S. military unit in the Middle East dedicated to one-way attack drones.

The Scorpion Strike task force quickly achieved significant operational milestones, including the first launch of an attack drone from the deck of a U.S. Navy warship in December.

The unit also used one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation “Epic Fury” and in strikes targeting Iranian port facilities in July, using unmanned attack boats at sea.