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Shahed drones

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A Shahed Saegheh-2 variant

Shahed drones are unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) and loitering munitions (exploding kamikaze drones) developed by Iranian company Shahed Aviation Industries.[1] The drones have been claimed to be made of commercial components.[2]

"Shahed" translates from both Persian and Arabic to "witness".[3]

List of models

[edit]
Remains of a Shahed 123

Models include the following (in numeric order):[a]

Development

[edit]

Iran

[edit]

The drones are developed by Shahed Aviation Industries.[1] Despite international sanctions against Iran, the drones are made of commercial parts from companies headquartered in the United States, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Japan, and Poland.[2] Due to their commercial availability, the components are poorly regulated or uncontrolled,[2][4] and according to a Ukrainian report submitted to the G7, the parts are imported to Iran from Turkey, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Costa Rica.[2] Allegedly, every drone manufactory plant in Iran has two replacement sites to ensure production is not disrupted in the event of an aerial attack.[5]

On 5 December 2011, the Iranian government seized an American Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel UAV, which had been commandeered and brought down by Iran's cyberwarfare unit.[6] Shahed Aviation Industries then reverse-engineered the American UAV, and used the acquired knowledge to develop the Shahed 171 Simorgh and Shahed 191 (Shahed Saegheh).[7]

Russia

[edit]
Main article: Yelabuga drone factory

During the seventy-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2023, the United States accused Iran of supplying Russia with drones during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and aiding Russia in the development of a drone production plant. Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi denied the allegations, responding, "We are against the war in Ukraine."[8] Months earlier, Sky News received purported document evidence dated 14 September 2022 from an informed source that Russia had purchased over US$1 million of artillery and tank shells and rockets.[9] In June 2023, a U.S. intelligence finding released by the White House reported Iran was supplying Russia with materials to construct a drone manufacturing plant.[10] In February 2024, additional document evidence was leaked revealing Russia's purchases of drones and an arrangement for Iran to assist Russia in developing a manufacturing facility, both purchased for a total of US$1.75 billion, paid in gold ingots.[5]

According to the document submitted to the G7, the Iranian government is trying to "disassociate itself from providing Russia with weapons" and that "[it] cannot cope with Russian demand and the intensity of use in Ukraine."[2] Consequently, the Yelabuga drone factory was established in Alabuga Special Economic Zone, part of the Republic of Tatarstan, an autonomous region of Russia, more than 1,300 km (810 mi) from the Russia–Ukraine border.[5][11] The manufactory is next to the Kama River, permitting transportation by ship directly from Iran via the Caspian Sea,[5] and is operated by the company Albatross, which employs students as young as 15 years-old from Alabuga Polytechnic College to construct the combat drones.[12] Russia aims to build 6,000 UCAVs by summer 2025[13] at a rate of 310 drones per month if the factory operates 24 hours a day, predicting the cost of production of one Geran-2 to be US$48,000.[5] However, Russia has upgraded the drones over several iterations and has consequently increased the unit production cost to around US$80,000 as of April 2024.[14]

In a 2 April 2024 attack, Ukraine launched an improvised long-range loitering munition targeting and damaging Russia's drone production facility, allegedly causing "significant damage."[15][13]

Shahed 107

[edit]

The Shahed 107 was revealed to Sky News by an anonymous security source in January 2024. It was described as a loitering munition with possible reconnaissance technologies, such as a live video feed.[16] The source also reported it is about 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) long and has a wingspan of 3 m (9.8 ft). The UCAV can be launched from a vehicle and is estimated to have a range of up to 1,500 km (930 mi).[16] The source also told Sky News that Iran had offered "a few units" to Russia in a deal worth more than US$2 million.[16]

Shahed 121

[edit]
Shahed 121 in blue, and to the right, a Shahed 129 with redesigned radome

The Shahed 121 was first noticed in 2016 when it flew over the USS Harry S. Truman, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in international airspace. The US Navy regarded this as a security breach which had not happened since 2014. The incident occurred after a nuclear deal that Iran signed with world powers, including the US. A US Navy Seahawk helicopter filmed the incident. The flight of Shahed 121 was considered by Iranian authorities to be safe as its wings were all "clean", implying that the drone did not carry weapons and was not dangerous to ships, but the high command of the US Navy described it as "abnormal" and "unprofessional."[17]

Shahed 129

[edit]
Main article: Shahed 129

The Shahed 129, sometimes S129, is an Iranian single-engine medium-altitude long-endurance UCAV designed for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.[18] It is capable of combat and reconnaissance missions. It has an endurance of 24 hours; it is similar in size, shape, and role to the American MQ-1 Predator.[19] The Shahed 129 has been used for airstrikes in the Syrian Civil War and for border patrol on Iran's eastern border.[20] As of 2017, the Shahed 129 and Shahed Saegheh are expected to form the backbone of Iran's high-end UAV fleet for at least the next decade.[20]

Shahed 131 (Geran-1)

[edit]
Main article: Shahed 131

The Shahed 131, also called Geran-1 (Russian: Герань-1, literally "Geranium-1") in Russian service, came to prominence in October 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[21][22] It is powered by a Wankel engine model Shahed-783/788.[22] The Shahed-131 flight control unit was found to be able to connect with Iridium satellites, which in theory allows the flight path to be altered mid-flight.[23][24] The flight controller has a backup inertial navigation system by MEMS gyroscope. Its primary instructions are derived from a commercial-grade GPS unit.[24]

The Shahed 131 is visually distinguished by vertical stabilisers that extend only upwards from the ends of the wings, while on the larger Shahed 136 they extend both up and down.[25] It has a 15 kg (33 lb) warhead and has a range of 900 km (559 mi).[25][26]

HESA Shahed 136 (Geran-2)

[edit]
Shahed 136 side view
Main article: HESA Shahed 136

The HESA Shahed 136, or simply Shahed 136,[27] known also as the Geran-2 (Russian: Герань-2) in Russian service, is a loitering munition in the form of an autonomous pusher-prop UCAV.[28] It is designed and manufactured by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company, or HESA, in association with Shahed Aviation Industries.[29] Its first appearance was 13 September 2022, when photos of the remains of a drone used by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine were publicly released.[27] The wings were inscribed with "M412 Герань-2" ("M412 Geran-2" in Russian) as a means of disguising the drone and concealing Iran's part in the invasion of Ukraine,[2] but it was recognized by its wing design, and Geran-2 drones are considered by Ukraine and its Western allies to be redesignated Iranian-made Shahed 136 drones.[27][30][31] Experts have estimated a Shahed 136 costs between US$20,000 to US$50,000 to make.[32][5] A series of leaked emails and documents revealed Russia had purchased 6,000 Shahed 136s for US$193,000 each in 2023.[5]

The drones were used in the October 2022 missile strikes on Kyiv[33]

Shahed 147

[edit]

The Shahed 147 is a twin-boom, high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) surveillance UAV powered by a turboprop engine.[34] It possesses a wingspan of 26 m (85 ft) and a maximum flight altitude of 60,000 feet.[34][35] The drone also possesses Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging for surveillance.[34] The Shahed 147 was revealed during the 19 November 2023 Iranian Aerospace Force Exhibition, attended by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.[35]

Shahed 149 Gaza

[edit]
Main article: Shahed 149 Gaza

The Shahed 149 Gaza was unveiled on 21 May 2021 and named after the Gaza Strip in honor of Palestinians' struggle amid the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis.[36] The drone is a high-altitude, long-endurance UAV similar in size, shape and role to the American MQ-9 Reaper.[37][38] It is a larger and heavier than the earlier Shahed 129.[37] It has a flight duration of 24 hours, a maximum operating radius of 2,500 km (1,600 mi), 21 m (69 ft) wingspan, 340 km/h (210 mph) maximum speed and is capable of carrying 13 bombs and 500 kg (1,100 lb) of electronic equipment.[17][39][40] It was the first Iranian UAV powered by a turboprop engine.[41]

Shahed 171 Simorgh

[edit]
Shahed 171 Simorgh
Main article: Shahed 171 Simorgh

The Shahed 171 Simorgh, named after a benevolent bird of Persian mythology,[42] and called IRN-170 by the US government,[43] is a jet-powered flying wing UCAV.[42] It is based on an American Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel UAV that was seized by Iran in 2011 and reverse-engineered.[7]

Shahed 191 (Shahed Saegheh)

[edit]
Main article: Shahed Saegheh

The Shahed 191, also called the Shahed Saegheh, sometimes spelled "Saeqeh,"[42] was first revealed at an Iranian arms expo in October 2016.[44] The name comes from the Persian word for "thunderbolt."[42] Like the Shahed 171 Simorgh, the Shahed 191 is based on the seized Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel.[7] The Shahed 191 has two variants, the Saegheh-1 and the Saegheh-2.[45]

Saegheh-1

[edit]

The Saegheh-1 is a flying wing UCAV powered by a turbofan and piston-engine.[45][46] The drone can carry two Sadid-1 missiles externally,[45] a combined payload weight of 50 kg (110 lb).[47]

Saegheh-2

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The Saegheh-2 is a jet-powered flying wing UCAV launched from a moving car. It can reportedly fly at a cruising speed of 300 km/h (190 mph) for just over 4.5 hours, and can travel a distance of at least 450 km (280 mi). The Saegheh-2 can carry two Sadid-1 missiles internally.[45][47]

Shahed 238

[edit]

The Shahed 238 is a turbojet-powered loitering munition. In September 2023, a trailer for an Iranian state TV documentary on Iranian drone development revealed a new version of Shahed 136 powered by a jet engine.[48][49] The new drone was publicly unveiled in November 2023 during an aerospace achievement exhibition organized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was attended by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Three variants were displayed in a black color scheme, though whether this is a radar-absorbent material or simply a paint scheme for night operations is unknown.[50]

A Russian Major General claimed in an interview with Russian agency Sputnik that the Shahed 238 would be a new version of the Geran-2, and that it would capable of travelling at top speeds of 800 km/h (500 mph) during a dive.[51][52] Iran, however, claims it can reach considerably lower top speeds of only 500 km/h (310 mph), powered by the Toloue-10 or Toloue-13 micro-turbojet 896 engine.[52] Due to the new engine, compared to the HESA Shahed 136, there is less space available for fuel, presumably resulting in a reduced flight range and payload size.[52]

The three Shahed 238 variants each had different guidance systems: one with basic GPS and GLONASS-based inertial navigation systems, as used in the Shahed 136, to hit fixed targets;[52] electro-optical and infrared camera sensors for heat-seeking, with some reports suggesting the missiles could be directed by an operator using the video feed;[52][32] and a radar-detection system to attack air defenses and other radars, allowing it to be used for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses.[52][32]

Operational history

[edit]

In early January 2024, evidence emerged to suggest Russia had launched at least one Shahed 238 in an attack on Ukraine.[51] Analysis of a destroyed model found several western components, such as a Czech PBS TJ150 turbojet engine, electronic chips from US manufacturers Intel and Texas Instruments, and satellite navigation antennas from Tallysman Wireless,[53] indicating that Iran has found a means to bypass international sanctions.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Based on the following sources:
    • Frantzman, Seth J. (8 June 2020). "Inside Iran's massive drone army". www.jpost.com. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
    • "Iran Officially Unveils Shahed-238". www.mil.in.ua. Militarnyi. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
    • Haynes, Deborah. "'Explosive' new attack drone developed by Iran for Russia's war in Ukraine". Sky News. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
    • Roblin, Sebastien (14 September 2021). "Your Guide to Iran's Diverse Fleet of Combat Drones". The National Interest. Retrieved 17 April 2024. This was followed by actual Shahed 191 flying wing stealth drones, the piston-engine Saegheh-1, and jet-powered Saegheh-2.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Finnerty, Ryan (28 September 2023). "Washington attempts to disrupt Iranian UAV supply chain". www.flightglobal.com. Flight Global. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Boffey, Daniel (27 September 2023). "Revealed: Europe's role in the making of Russia killer drones". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  3. ^ "AP Exclusive: Iran's drone first over US carrier since 2014". AP. 10 February 2016.
  4. ^ "Ukraine war latest: Ukraine sends letter to G7 on use of Western parts in Shahed drones". The Kyiv Independent. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Yaron, Oded (21 February 2024). "Gold for drones: Massive leak reveals the Iranian Shahed project in Russia". Haaretz. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  6. ^ Peterson, Scott; Faramarzi, Payam (15 December 2011). "Exclusive: Iran hijacked US drone, says Iranian engineer". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "Iran builds attack drone similar to captured US model, local media say". The Guardian. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  8. ^ Haven, Paul (18 September 2023). "Iran's president denies sending drones and other weapons to Russia and decries US meddling". AP News. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  9. ^ Haynes, Deborah. "Arms contract shows Iran has sold Russia ammunition for Ukraine war, says security source". Sky News. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  10. ^ Madhani, Aamer (9 June 2023). "White House says Iran is helping Russia build a drone factory east of Moscow for the war in Ukraine". AP News. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  11. ^ Gozzi, Laura (2 April 2024). "Ukraine war: Deepest Ukraine drone attack into Russian territory injures 12". website. BBC. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  12. ^ "A Russian Factory Is Using Underage Workers To Assemble Iranian 'Suicide' Drones Destined For Ukraine". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits drone factory, oil refinery deep inside Russia". The Kyiv Independent. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  14. ^ Bronk, Justin; Watling, Jack (11 April 2024). "Mass Precision Strike Designing UAV Complexes for Land Forces" (PDF). Royal United Services Institute. p. 31. ISSN 2397-0286. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  15. ^ Duncan, Gillian (2 April 2024). "Ukraine's 'deep strike' targets Russian drone factory". The National. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Haynes, Deborah. "'Explosive' new attack drone developed by Iran for Russia's war in Ukraine". Sky News. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Iranian Drone First Over US Carrier Since 2014". NDTV.com. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Iran". RUSI.
  19. ^ Col. Ryan Dillon (8 June 2017). "Inherent Resolve Spokesman Briefs Reporters". Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve – via Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).
  20. ^ a b Taghvaee, Babak (27 July 2017). "Shahed 129 Heads Iran's Armed UAV Force". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  21. ^ "A "Younger" Version Geran-1 (Shahed-131) Kamikaze Drone Spotted After Night Attack From Crimea | Defense Express". en.defence-ua.com. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Russians began to use Shahed-131 kamikaze drones". mil.in.ua. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  23. ^ "An Advanced Radio Communication Device on American Processors Found in the Shahed-136". Defense Express. Kyiv. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  24. ^ a b "Не тільки Shahed-136, з'явилось детальне дослідження ще одного іранського дрона камікадзе, який використовує РФ" [Not only Shahed-136, a detailed study of another Iranian kamikaze drone used by the Russian Federation has appeared]. Defense Express (in Ukrainian). Kyiv. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  25. ^ a b Panasovskyi, Maksim. "The AFU captured a kamikaze drone Shahed-131 - a smaller version of Shahed-136, weighing 135 kg, warhead weighing 15 kg and a launch range of 900 km". gagadget.com.
  26. ^ Rubin, Uzi (13 January 2023). "Russia's Iranian-Made UAVs: A Technical Profile". Royal United Services Institute. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  27. ^ a b c "Iranian Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drones Already Used By Russia". Defense Express. Kyiv. 13 September 2022. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  28. ^ Kahn, Lauren (26 October 2022). "Can Iranian Drones Turn Russia's Fortunes in the Ukraine War?". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 26 November 2023. The Iranian-produced Shahed-136 (renamed by Russia as the Geran-2) is a loitering munition, although it is sometimes misleadingly referred to in media as a kamikaze or suicide drone.
  29. ^ "Treasury Targets Actors Involved in Production and Transfer of Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Russia for Use in Ukraine". U.S. Department of the Treasury (Press release). 15 November 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2023. Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center (SAIRC), subordinate to the IRGC ASF, has designed and manufactured several Shahed-series UAV variants, including the Shahed-136 one-way attack UAV ...
  30. ^ "Russia-Ukraine war News: Ukraine to reduce Iran embassy presence over Russia drone attacks". Al Jazeera. 24 September 2022. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  31. ^ Hird, Karolina; Bailey, Riley; Mappes, Grace; Barros, George; Kagan, Frederick W. (12 October 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 12". Institute for the Study of War. Washington, DC. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  32. ^ a b c Newdick, Thomas; Rogoway, Tyler. "Iran's Jet-Powered Shahed Drone Could Be A Problem For Ukraine". Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  33. ^ "Zelensky: Russia used Iran-made drones, missiles in deadly strikes on several cities". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  34. ^ a b c Malyasov, Dylan. "Iran debuts its Shahed-147 spy drone". Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  35. ^ a b "Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Visit To The IRGC Aerospace Force Exhibition; Fattah-2 Missile Is Unveiled". MEMRI. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  36. ^ "Iran displays long-range drone, names it 'Gaza' in honor of Palestinians' struggle". Al Arabiya English. 21 May 2021.
  37. ^ a b "Gaza UAV, new symbol of Iran's long-range UAV power". iranpress.com. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  38. ^ "Iran unveils 'Gaza' UAV". Janes.com. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  39. ^ "Iran unveils long-range drone named 'Gaza'". Associated Press. 21 May 2021.
  40. ^ "Iran Guards unveil 'Gaza' drone in tribute to Palestinians". www.timesofisrael.com.
  41. ^ "جابجایی رکوردهای پهپادی ایران با "غزه"/ آخرین فناوری پهپادی سپاه چه ویژگی‌هایی دارد؟ | خبرگزاری فارس". www.farsnews.ir. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  42. ^ a b c d "Sentinels, Saeqehs and Simorghs: An Open Source Survey of Iran's New Drone in Syria". bellingcat. 13 February 2018.
  43. ^ Iran Military Power (PDF). Defense Intelligence Agency. 2019. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-16-095157-2.
  44. ^ Cenciotti, David (2 October 2016). "Iran unveils new UCAV modeled on captured U.S. RQ-170 stealth drone".
  45. ^ a b c d Roblin, Sebastien (14 September 2021). "Your Guide to Iran's Diverse Fleet of Combat Drones". The National Interest. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  46. ^ Taghvaee, Babak (27 July 2017). "Shahed 129 Heads Iran's Armed UAV Force". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  47. ^ a b Nikolov, Boyko (12 June 2023). "CIA's RQ-170 UAV could usher in a new series of Russian drones". Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  48. ^ "IRGC documentary shows jet-powered Shahed-136 UAV variant". Janes Information Services. 3 October 2023. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023.
  49. ^ Iran Unveils Jet-Powered Version Of Shahed Kamikaze Drone. Forbes. 27 September 2023.
  50. ^ Iran's Jet-Powered Shahed Drone Could Be A Problem For Ukraine. The Drive/The War Zone. 22 November 2023.
  51. ^ a b Tiwari, Sakshi (9 January 2024). ""Bad News" For Ukraine: Russia Begins Using 'Double Deadly' Jet-Powered Shahed-238 Kamikaze UAVs". Latest Asian, Middle-East, EurAsian, Indian News. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  52. ^ a b c d e f "Russian General Claims Jet-Powered Kamikaze Drones on the Way". Kyiv Post. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  53. ^ "Jet Driven Shahed-238 Disassembled: Engine From Czechia, Satellite Navigation Tools From Canada (Photo) | Defense Express". en.defence-ua.com. Defense Express. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
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