Bahrain Joins First Multinational Force for Attack Drone Missions

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced today that the Kingdom of Bahrain has joined the Falcon Strike Task Force, following the Kingdom’s confirmation of its commitment to work with CENTCOM to establish the world’s first multinational unit for loitering munitions.

This unit, designated as the Falcon Strike Task Force, will employ single-path loitering munitions—defined as systems “sent to engage a target and detonate upon impact, with no expectation of returning to base.” These unmanned systems operate from the air, on the sea surface, and underwater, and will be managed by support crews from the United States and regional partners.

The launch of the Falcon Strike unit comes nine months after CENTCOM established the Scorpion Strike Task Force, the first U.S. military squadron dedicated to single-path loitering munitions in the Middle East.

Last August, CENTCOM initiated a series of consultations with regional partners and issued formal invitations to join the Falcon Strike Task Force, which aims to expand loitering munitions capabilities across the Middle East to form a unified, multinational, and multi-domain deterrent force.

Personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), which previously launched the Scorpion Strike Task Force, will lead the Falcon Strike crew, composed of U.S. and regional representatives.