Shahed drones

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A Shahed Saegheh-2 variant Saegheh (4).jpg
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 are made of commercial components. [2]

Contents

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

List of models

Remains of a Shahed 123 Shahed 123 remains.jpg
Remains of a Shahed 123

Models include the following (in numeric order): [lower-alpha 1]

Development

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]

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] Russia aims to build 6,000 UCAVs by summer 2025 [12] 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] The company Albatross operates the factory, where students from Alabuga Polytechnic College, some as young as 15 years old, are employed to construct the combat drones. [13]

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." [14] [12]

Ukraine

On 8 May 2024, the head of the state-owned Ukrainian Defense Industry said Ukraine was producing domestic drones identical to the Shahed 131 and Shahed 136 "in terms of the amount of explosives they carry, their range, and other technical parameters." He also claimed Ukrainian drone production achieved parity with Russian production. [15]

Shahed 107

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

Shahed 121 in blue, and to the right, a Shahed 129 with redesigned radome Shahed 121 and Shahed 129.jpg
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

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)

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)

Shahed 136 side view 2023 IRGC Aerospace Force achievements Exhibition in Kermanshah (018).jpg
Shahed 136 side view

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

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

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] [39] 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] [40] [41] It was the first Iranian UAV powered by a turboprop engine. [42]

Shahed 171 Simorgh

Shahed 171 Simorgh Shahed 171 Simorgh.jpg
Shahed 171 Simorgh

The Shahed 171 Simorgh, named after a benevolent bird of Persian mythology, [43] and called IRN-170 by the US government, [44] is a jet-powered flying wing UCAV. [43] 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)

The Shahed 191, also called the Shahed Saegheh, sometimes spelled "Saeqeh," [43] was first revealed at an Iranian arms expo in October 2016. [45] The name comes from the Persian word for "thunderbolt." [43] 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. [46]

Saegheh-1

The Saegheh-1 is a flying wing UCAV powered by a turbofan and piston-engine. [46] [47] The drone can carry two Sadid-1 missiles externally, [46] a combined payload weight of 50 kg (110 lb). [48]

Saegheh-2

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. [46] [48]

Shahed 238

Shahed 238 Shahed 238.jpg
Shahed 238

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. [49] [50] 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. [51]

A Russian Major General claimed in an interview with Russian propaganda 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. [52] [53] 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. [53] 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. [53]

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; [53] 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; [53] [32] and a radar-detection system to attack air defenses and other radars, allowing it to be used for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses. [53] [32]

Operational history

In early January 2024, evidence emerged to suggest Russia had launched at least one Shahed 238 in an offensive attack on Ukraine. [52]

On 14 April 2024, Iran launched 185 Shahed 238s in an attack on Israel, none of which reached the country due to Israel's and its allies' air defenses. [54]

See also

Notes

  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.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unmanned combat aerial vehicle</span> Unmanned aerial vehicle that is usually armed

An unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), also known as a combat drone, fighter drone or battlefield UAV, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance and carries aircraft ordnance such as missiles, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), and/or bombs in hardpoints for drone strikes. These drones are usually under real-time human control, with varying levels of autonomy. UCAVs are used for reconnaissance, attacking targets and returning to base; unlike kamikaze drones which are only made to explode on impact, or surveillance drones which are only for gathering intelligence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of unmanned combat aerial vehicles</span>

The history of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) is closely tied to the general history of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). While the technology dates back at least as far as the 1940s, common usage in live operations came in the 2000s. UCAVs have now become an important part of modern warfare, including in the Syrian civil war, the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation</span> Iranian aircraft company

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel</span> Unmanned aerial vehicle by Lockheed Martin

The Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel, nicknamed Wraith, is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Lockheed Martin and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). While the USAF has released few details on the UAV's design or capabilities, defense analysts believe that it is a stealth aircraft fitted with aerial reconnaissance equipment. Introduced in 2007, it was deployed to Afghanistan in late 2007, and to South Korea two years later, in September 2009. Some images and details of the aircraft were released after Iran captured an RQ-170 in 2011. It has a flying wing design, and uses a single engine, speculated to be either a General Electric TF34 turbofan or a Garrett TFE731.

On 5 December 2011, an American Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was captured by Iranian forces near the city of Kashmar in northeastern Iran. The Iranian government announced that the UAV was brought down by its cyberwarfare unit which commandeered the aircraft and safely landed it, after initial reports from Western news sources disputedly claimed that it had been "shot down". The United States government initially denied the claims but later President Obama acknowledged that the downed aircraft was a US drone. Iran filed a complaint to the UN over the airspace violation. Obama asked Iran to return the drone. Iran is said to have produced drones based on the captured RQ-170 including the Shahed 171 Simorgh and Shahed Saegheh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AeroVironment Switchblade</span> American loitering missile

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahed 129</span> Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle

The Shahed 129 is an Iranian single-engine medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) designed by Shahed Aviation Industries for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Shahed 129 is capable of combat and reconnaissance missions and has an endurance of 24 hours; it is similar in size, shape and role to the American MQ-1 Predator and is widely considered as one of the most capable drones in Iranian service.

Drone warfare is a form of aerial warfare or marine warfare using unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) or weaponized commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The United States, United Kingdom, Israel, China, South Korea, Iran, Iraq, Italy, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Poland are known to have manufactured operational UCAVs as of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahed Saegheh</span> Iranian flying wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle

The Shahed Saegheh, also called the Shahed 191, is an Iranian turbofan/piston-powered flying wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) produced by Shahed Aviation Industries. It is based on, but smaller than and substantially different from, a Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel UAV that was captured by Iran in 2011 and then reverse-engineered. It is one of two Iranian flying wing UAVs based on the RQ-170, along with the Shahed 171 Simorgh, a larger version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loitering munition</span> Type of guided unmanned aerial vehicle

A loitering munition, also known as a suicide drone, kamikaze drone, or exploding drone, is a kind of aerial weapon with a built-in warhead that is typically designed to loiter around a target area until a target is located, then attack the target by crashing into it. Loitering munitions enable faster reaction times against hidden targets that emerge for short periods without placing high-value platforms near the target area and also allow more selective targeting as the attack can be changed mid-flight or aborted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahed 171 Simorgh</span> Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle

The Shahed 171 Simorgh is an Iranian jet-powered flying wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) produced by Shahed Aviation Industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahed 149 Gaza</span> Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle

The Shahed 149 Gaza or, is an Iranian unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) operated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. It was unveiled on 21 May 2021 and named after the Gaza Strip in honor of the Palestinians' struggle against Israel amid the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. It was delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force in 2022.

In the mid-1980s, Iran became interested in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Iranians have since began manufacturing (UAVs). As an attack munition rather than intelligence, surveillance, or reconnaissance (ISR) platform, the first generation Ababil appears to have been deployed during the Iran–Iraq War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZALA Lancet</span> Russian loitering munition

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">HESA Shahed 136</span> Iranian-made drone

The HESA Shahed 136, also known by its Russian designation Geran-2, is an Iranian-designed loitering munition, also referred to as a kamikaze drone or suicide drone, in the form of an autonomous pusher-propelled drone. It is designed and manufactured by the Iranian state-owned corporation HESA in association with Shahed Aviation Industries.

Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center is an Iranian aerospace company known for designing military helicopters and UAVs. They are associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGC-ASF) and the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation (HESA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahed 131</span> Iranian-made drone

The Shahed 131, or Geran-1 in Russian service, is an Iranian-made exploding drone which came to prominence in October 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is powered by a Wankel engine model Shahed-783/788.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerial warfare in the Russian invasion of Ukraine</span>

Aerial warfare in the Russian invasion of Ukraine began at dawn of 24 February 2022, with infantry divisions and armored and air support in Eastern Ukraine, and dozens of missile attacks across Ukraine. The first fighting took place in Luhansk Oblast near the village of Milove on the border with Russia at 3:40 am Kyiv time. The main infantry and tank attacks were launched in four spearhead incursions, creating a northern front launched towards Kyiv, a southern front originating in Crimea, a south-eastern front launched at the cities of Luhansk and Donbas, and an eastern front. Dozens of missile strikes across Ukraine also reached as far west as Lviv. Drones have also been a critical part of the invasion, particularly in regards to combined arms warfare. Drones have additionally been employed by Russia in striking Ukrainian critical infrastructure, and have been used by Ukraine to strike military infrastructure in Russian territory.

Iran has supported Russia both diplomatically and militarily since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has voted against United Nations resolutions condemning Russia and has regularly delivered loitering munitions, chiefly the Shahed 131 and Shahed 136, to the Russian military. Several countries have accused Iran of violating United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, which was adopted with full support of the sitting members in July 2015 and seeks to inspect the Iranian nuclear program in preparation for ending United Nations sanctions against Iran. Additionally, Ukraine and the United States, among others, have stated that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has had a presence in Russian-occupied Crimea for the purpose of operating Shahed drones in attacks against Ukrainian cities. Some of these IRGC personnel have reportedly been killed by Ukrainian military strikes against Russian-occupied territory; the Iranian involvement in Russia's invasion has negatively impacted Iran–Ukraine relations while intensifying existing tensions between Iran and the United States.

The Yelabuga drone factory is an unmanned aerial vehicle and loitering munition factory in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, near Yelabuga, Repbulic of Tatarstan, Russia, operated by the Russian company Albatross. It develops drones for military use in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and is largely staffed by college students, including minors.

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  45. ↑ Cenciotti, David (2 October 2016). "Iran unveils new UCAV modeled on captured U.S. RQ-170 stealth drone".
  46. 1 2 3 4 Roblin, Sebastien (14 September 2021). "Your Guide to Iran's Diverse Fleet of Combat Drones". The National Interest. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  47. ↑ Taghvaee, Babak (27 July 2017). "Shahed 129 Heads Iran's Armed UAV Force". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  48. 1 2 Nikolov, Boyko (12 June 2023). "CIA's RQ-170 UAV could usher in a new series of Russian drones" . Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  49. ↑ "IRGC documentary shows jet-powered Shahed-136 UAV variant". Janes Information Services . 3 October 2023. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023.
  50. ↑ Iran Unveils Jet-Powered Version Of Shahed Kamikaze Drone. Forbes . 27 September 2023.
  51. ↑ Iran's Jet-Powered Shahed Drone Could Be A Problem For Ukraine. The Drive/The War Zone. 22 November 2023.
  52. 1 2 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.
  53. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Post, Kyiv (11 December 2023). "Russian General Claims Jet-Powered Kamikaze Drones on the Way". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  54. ↑ Ben-Yishai, Ron (14 April 2024). "Zero hits: Israel's historic achievement against Iran's drones and missiles". Ynetnews. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
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