Military Drone Recovered
Florida Fishing Crew Recovers Damaged Unidentified Military Drone From Gulf
Anonymous
Key Points
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The recovered aircraft appeared to be missing both its nose section and propeller, indicating it had sustained substantial damage before being found floating in the Gulf.
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If the aircraft was a Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS), it would be approximately 9.8 feet long, have an 8.2-foot wingspan and weigh about 70 pounds. The system is manufactured by Arizona-based Spektreworks.
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Captain Charlie Green said Arsenault first saw the object from a distance and found a sizeable mahi-mahi sheltering beneath it; passengers then helped move the aircraft aboard the boat.
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Hot Spots later wrote that “the black SUVs came” to retrieve the aircraft, after crew members had moved it by hand cart and placed it beside a building.
A fishing charter crew off Pensacola, Florida, pulled up an unexpected catch—a nearly 10-foot damaged military drone—while fishing in the Gulf of Mexico near Eglin Air Force Base. CNN reported that captain Daniel Arsenault spotted the aircraft floating in the water, and passengers helped haul it aboard before authorities retrieved it. The Air Force confirmed a test aircraft went down during a military exercise but has not disclosed whether this is the recovered drone or revealed its identity.
Images of the recovered aircraft—missing its nose section and propeller—have sparked speculation about its type. Task & Purpose suggested it could be a LUCAS (Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System) drone, manufactured by Arizona-based Spektreworks. Such a system would measure 9.8 feet long, weigh about 70 pounds, and have an 8.2-foot wingspan. However, the military has not confirmed the drone's identity.
A Fishing Trip Turns Into Military Recovery
Hot Spot Fishing Charters was on a routine six-hour trip roughly 20 miles off Pensacola when captain Arsenault spotted the submerged object from a distance. WSVN reported that passengers helped move the aircraft aboard by hand. A large mahi-mahi had been sheltering beneath the damaged drone, making the unusual catch even more remarkable.
Once the crew realized what they'd found, they quickly contacted authorities. WKRG noted that it took six crew members to handle the recovery. After securing the aircraft, they waited for military personnel to arrive and transport it away.
Damaged Airframe Raises Questions About What Went Wrong
The recovered drone bore visible signs of severe damage. Both its nose section and propeller were missing, suggesting it had experienced a hard impact before sinking into the Gulf. SSB Crack News documented how "black SUVs came" to retrieve the aircraft after crew members placed it beside a building using a hand cart.
The Air Force has remained tight-lipped about what caused the failure. Eglin Air Force Base acknowledged that a test article went down during a military exercise two days before the discovery, but officials declined to confirm whether this recovered drone is the same aircraft or provide any operational details.
LUCAS Drone Speculation Based on Observable Features
Military analysts examining photographs of the recovered airframe have suggested it may be a LUCAS system—a low-cost unmanned attack platform modeled after Iran's Shahed-136 design. The LUCAS is approximately 9.8 feet in length, operates with an 8.2-foot wingspan, and weighs around 70 pounds. This weight and size roughly match what was recovered.
Other possibilities mentioned include the MQM-172 Arrowhead or similar experimental test platforms used by the Air Force. Without official confirmation from military leadership, the exact system remains a mystery. Spektreworks, the Arizona manufacturer behind the LUCAS design, has not commented on the recovery.
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