- Local video evidence from Caracas indicates U.S. forces used LUCAS one-way attack drones during strikes on January 3 as part of Operation “Absolute Resolve.”
- The strikes represent the first confirmed large-scale combat use of kamikaze-style loitering munitions by U.S. forces.
U.S. forces used one-way attack drones during strikes on Caracas on January 3 as part of Operation “Absolute Resolve,” marking the first confirmed large-scale combat employment of kamikaze-style drones by the United States, according to sources and newly published visual evidence from Venezuela.
Local residents in Caracas released videos recorded during the strikes that captured the distinct engine sound of incoming aerial systems moments before impact. The audio closely resembles the characteristic sound associated with Shahed-136-type loitering munitions, supporting reports that U.S. forces employed LUCAS loitering attack drones during the operation.
Sources in Venezuela had reported as early as January 3 that U.S. forces were using one-way attack drones against selected targets in Caracas. The newly surfaced footage provides confirmation of those claims, aligning with descriptions of drone flight profiles and acoustic signatures heard during the strikes.
The drones identified are described as “Shahed-like” loitering munitions, a reference to the Russian designation for Shahed-derived systems, though in this case the platform used was the U.S.-developed LUCAS one-way attack drone. The strikes took place during the opening phase of Operation “Absolute Resolve,” the U.S. operation that also involved air and helicopter forces.
LUCAS is a low-cost, propeller-driven loitering munition designed for one-way strike missions against fixed and semi-fixed targets. The system is launched toward a target area, loiters until receiving final guidance, and then conducts a terminal dive onto the objective. Its acoustic signature, produced by a small internal combustion engine, is similar to other propeller-driven loitering munitions already seen in other conflicts.
The use of LUCAS drones during the Caracas strikes represents a shift in U.S. combat employment of unmanned systems. While the United States has extensively used armed unmanned aerial vehicles such as MQ-9 Reapers, those platforms are reusable strike aircraft rather than expendable loitering munitions. The January 3 operation marks the first confirmed instance in which the U.S. military employed kamikaze-style drones at scale in real combat conditions.
Operation “Absolute Resolve” involved a broad mix of air assets, including fighter aircraft, bombers, electronic warfare platforms, and unmanned systems. U.S. officials previously acknowledged the scope of the operation but did not publicly detail the specific role of loitering munitions at the time of execution.
The appearance of drone engine audio similar to Shahed-type systems underscores how loitering munitions have become a standard element of modern strike packages. These systems allow forces to engage targets with reduced risk to aircrews and at lower cost compared with traditional air-delivered munitions.
No official statement has been released detailing the number of drones used or the specific targets struck by the LUCAS systems during the Caracas operation.