Iranian UAVs

[Persian Gulf]

I don't see a thread for Iranian drones and drones are a major priority in Iran so I think this deserves its own thread.

Iran's drone programme started during the imposed Iran-Iraq war with very basic Mohajer drones for recon, shortly followed by other similar UAVs such as Ababil.

Since then, however, Iran has become a true drone power in the region (and, in my opinion, beyond). The lack of a functional modern air force (inability to import modern jets due to sanctions) means that Iran was forced to divert funds into drones instead, and now this is bearing fruit. This was helped hugely by Iran capturing a full ensemble of Israeli and US drones, such as the ScanEagle, RQ-170, Hermes 450, MQ-1 Predator, etc.

I will make specific posts in subsequent posts of this thread for each of the main and most advanced drones in Iran's arsenal (Saeqeh, Simorgh, S-129, Fotros etc).

Here is a video of recent large-scale drone drills in the Persian Gulf, featuring more than 50 Iranian drones over a large area:

 

[Persian Gulf]

Shahed-129:

S-129 is Iran's primary MALE UCAV, in operation since 2012. Up to 40 are in service with the IRGC (of various generations).

S-129 has a range of 3000km and carries 4 precision-guided Sadid bombs (6km range and 2.5m CEP).

The second/third generations are equipped with SATCOM capability (not clear whose satellites this uses).

The S-129 has seen extensive combat in Syria (including the 2nd/3rd gen SATCOM variants), being used on a regular basis against Daesh terrorists.

 

[Persian Gulf]

Saeqeh/Saegheh:

The Saeqeh is based on the captured US RQ-170 UAV (a secret CIA stealth UAV captured by Iran in 2011), but it is a smaller UCAV version (60% scale) with a wingspan of 7m. In operation since 2016, this is arguably Iran's most potent UCAV and dozens have been produced to date.

The Saeqeh carries two precision-guided Sadid bombs in its internal weapons bay, takes off from moving vehicles (see 1.10 and 1.42 in the video in the top post) and has retractable landing skids (no wheels).

The design and size of the Saeqeh gives it a very low RCS.

The Saeqeh has been used to conduct targeted strikes in Syria in October 2018 (taking off from and returning to Iran, suggesting a range of >1000km - in the video below from 1.05). A Saeqeh drone is also thought to have been shot down by an Israeli helicopter after entering Israel's airspace from Syria in February 2018.

Service ceiling: 25,000 feet
Cruise speed: 300 km/h

 

[Persian Gulf]

Simorgh S-171:

The S-171 is a full-scale UAV copy of the RQ-170 and it is a jet-powered flying wing design. It was first unveiled in 2015 and shown flying in 2016.

Not much else is known about the s-171 and it is not clear that it is operational yet, though full-size models are often displayed at military exhibitions and there is footage of a flying model from 2016. It is possible that there are still issues being refined, or it is too expensive to mass produce, or not needed currently, or simply a test bed of future technologies.

 

[Persian Gulf]

Fotros:

The Fotros drone is a competitor to the S-129, built by the Air Force (not IRGC) and first shown in 2013. It has a range of 2000km. It can likely carry the Akhgar cruise missile (27kg, 30km range).

However, despite the Fotros being a proven platform it appears that the S-129 is preferred and the Fotros has been shelved as a result (likely because the s-129 is cheaper and more cost-effective). At least a few were definitely built and the project could be resurrected in the future, although the improved and battle-tested s-129 makes this unlikely.

 

[Persian Gulf]

Others:

Other key drones include the Mohajer-6, Hamaseh, s-123 (replaced by s-129) and Yasir (as well as various target drones and suicide drones, such as the Karrar and Qasef).

Mohajer-6 is the latest generation of the Mohajer series of UAV/UCAVs. The Mohajer UAV was Iran's first UAVs used in combat, used during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war for surveillance. Since then several upgraded versions have been introduced and mass-produced, most recently the Mohajer 6, which has been mass-produced since early 2018. The Mohajer-6 can be used for surveillance or targeted strikes using 2x Qaem laser-guided bombs.

The Yasir is a reverse-engineered ScanEagle drone, first captured in 2012 and revealed in late 2013. Dozens have been produced.

 

[Persian Gulf]

There are dozens more drones and drone projects in Iran (realised and unrealised) but I think my posts above covered the main and most advanced ones.

Let the debate begin?

 

[Soldier35]

Iran presented at the exhibition of achievements of the country's defense industry, the new Mohajer-10 UAV, the presentation was accompanied by rather militant photos. The Mohajer-10 UAV is equipped with electronic warfare, reconnaissance systems and can carry various types of ammunition, including Ghaem and Almas bombs. Arab. The payload of the Mohajer-10 is twice that of the Mohajer-6 UAV. The UAV is capable of flying at an altitude of 7 kilometers with a range of 2,000 kilometers. The duration of a drone flight can be up to 24 hours. The maximum fuel capacity of the Mohajer-10 UAV is 450 liters, the maximum cargo weight is 300 kg, and the speed is 210 km/h.

 

[Soldier35]

Iran published a video of the launch of the Shahed-171 UAV. And drone production in Iran. The Shahed-171 reconnaissance UAV was first shown in 2014. Presumably the body of the Shahed-171 drone is made of fiberglass, using stealth technology based on the American RQ-170 Sentinel UAV. The body of the Shahed-171 drone uses little radio-reflective materials; its surface, like that of the American B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, does not have rectangular protrusions. The Shahed-171 UAV is the first Iranian drone with a turbojet engine. The Shahed 171 drone has a take-off weight of up to 3070 kg and a maximum UAV flight range of up to 4400 km, at an altitude of up to 10900 meters. The drone's flight speed is up to 460 km/h. The drones are armed with Qaem adjustable bombs.

 

[Soldier35]

Iranian UAV tracking footage of a US Navy carrier strike group entering the waters of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz has been published. The model of the Iranian drone has not been reported. The carrier group is led by the US aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), the destroyer USS Gravelli (DDG 107) and the destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63), the cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG-56) and the French frigate FS Languedoc (D-653) . The group was accompanied by MH-60R “Seahawk” and MH-60S “Knighthawk” helicopters. Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said the drone ignored multiple warnings, an action the US military considers unsafe and unprofessional.