The Kian is an Iranian military unmanned aerial vehicle. The aircraft is said to be capable of continuous travel for more than 1,000 km and able to climb to 5,000 meters above sea level. [1] [2] [3] The aircraft was designed, manufactured and tested by experts from the Iranian Air Force drone unit. [2]
An unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), also known as a combat drone, colloquially shortened as 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, ATGMs, and/or bombs in hardpoints for drone strikes. These drones are usually under real-time human control, with varying levels of autonomy. Unlike unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicles, UCAVs are used for both drone strikes and battlefield intelligence.
The Beriev A-50 is a Soviet airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport. Developed to replace the Tupolev Tu-126 "Moss", the A-50 first flew in 1978. Its existence was revealed to the Western Bloc in 1980 by Adolf Tolkachev. It entered service in 1985, with about 40 produced by 1992.
Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA), or Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation, is an Iranian aircraft production company. Established in 1976, it belongs to the Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) and is located at Shahin Shahr, Isfahan. Approximately 2 million square meters or 500 acres of land on which the company is established was gifted by the locally notable and well-regarded Boroumand family. The company has thousands of square meters of available grounds, and 250,000 square meters of shops and hangars are allocated to A/C part manufacturing, assembling, laboratories, flight test facilities and shops of preparation for production.
The HESA Ababil is an Iranian family of single-engine multirole tactical unmanned aerial vehicles manufactured by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA). The Ababil comes in four main lines, the Ababil-2 ,3, 4 and 5, of which the Ababil-2 has a number of variants. It is considered a long-range, low-technology drone.
The Iranian Armed Forces, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, are the combined military forces of Iran, comprising the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Arteš), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepâh) and the Law Enforcement Force (Police).
The Syrian Air Defense Force (SyADF), officially the Syrian Arab Air Defense Force is an independent command within the Syrian Armed Forces. It is responsible for protecting the Syrian airspace against any hostile air attacks. The SyADF is one of the most powerful and combat-tested air defence forces in the region.
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.
The HESA Karrar is an Iranian jet-powered target drone manufactured by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) since 2010. The Karrar is a derivative of the American 1970s-era Beechcraft MQM-107 Streaker target drone, probably incorporating elements from the South African Skua, with hardpoints added for munitions. The Karrar was developed during the Ahmadinejad presidency.
The Guizhou WZ-7 Soaring Dragon is a high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the People's Republic of China. The design uses a unique joined-wing design.
The AeroVironment Switchblade is a miniature loitering munition, designed by AeroVironment and used by several branches of the United States military. Small enough to fit in a backpack, the Switchblade launches from a tube, flies to the target area, and crashes into its target while detonating its explosive warhead. The name switchblade comes from the way the spring-loaded wings are folded up inside a tube and flip out once released.
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.
The HESA Fotros is an Iranian reconnaissance, surveillance, and combat unmanned aerial vehicle built by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation and unveiled in November 2013. It was the largest Iranian drone at its unveiling. It has an operational range of 1,700 km to 2,000 km with flight endurance of 16 to 30 hours depending on armament. The name refers to a fallen angel in Shia mythology which was redeemed by Imam Husayn ibn Ali. The Fotros carries up to six missiles or bombs.
CASC Rainbow is a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, an entity under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics is also known as the 11th Academy of CASC, or 701st Research Institute.
The Saegheh 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.
The Wing Loong-10 is a series of unmanned aerial vehicles of the High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) type, featuring some stealth characteristics. As of 2017 it is being developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group for reconnaissance and precision strike missions.
The Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, also referred to as Hunter-B, is a Russian stealth heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) being developed by Sukhoi and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG as a sixth-generation aircraft project. The drone is based on the earlier Mikoyan Skat, designed by MiG, and encompassing some technologies of the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet. In the future, it is planned to act under the control of pilots of Su-57 jets, similarly to the USAF Skyborg programme.
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.
WZ-8, is a supersonic unmanned aerial vehicle produced by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Introduced during China's 70th anniversary military parade, the drone is intended to conduct strategic aerial reconnaissance across southeast Asia, particularly Taiwan and South Korea. Its reconnaissance capabilities reportedly include electro-optical imaging, synthetic-aperture radar, and other sensors. Some have suggested the drone will be weaponized to provide strategic anti-access and area denial capabilities. The drone cannot take off under its own power, instead it is air-launched from a Xi'an H-6M mothership once the H-6 reaches a prescribed speed and altitude.