Iran’s major achievements in drone
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have emerged as a modern phenomenon, finding uses in sectors such as surveillance, agriculture, and disaster management.
However, their significance extends beyond these applications, as they play a prominent role in global battles and wars, with “suicide” drones standing out among various types.
Equipped with advanced capabilities, drones have rewritten the rules of warfare. Due to their economic efficiency, effective impact, and ease of deployment, these vehicles have become significant weapons in determining the outcome of battlegrounds, capable of inflicting considerable losses on the enemy, or at least causing significant damage.
The following infographic aims to shed light on Iran’s most significant drone accomplishments. Its armed forces and defense industries have designed and produced a diverse range of suicide drones, transforming the country into a prominent player in the field of suicide drone design and production.
Tufan
Tufan locates and destroys the enemy using an optical tracker.
Also known as Chamran-2, the drone is made of lightweight and radar-absorbing materials, with the lowest radar cross-section.
The forward-looking camera, located in the nose of this aerial vehicle, sends real-time images until the last moment to complete the targeting task.
Tufan has a maximum speed of 250 km/h, a flight radius of 100km, a flight ceiling of 14,000 feet (4,267m), and a flight endurance of 21-22 hours.
A 100-kilometer range provides it with acceptable operational value, allowing sufficient time for target search and attack during its flight endurance.
By utilizing ground station guidance and navigation, Tufan can be upgraded to have a range of 200km to 400km.
Its launching mechanism is JATO (Jet-Assisted Take-Off), a type of auxiliary rocket engine used in the aviation industry to provide additional thrust during takeoff.
If necessary, the drone performs a gentle landing on the ground for recovery, allowing the launch of these small drones near the frontlines, or in urban combat areas as an immediate and rapid response solution for destroying a significant target.
Sa’eqeh
Equipped with a 10-km warhead, the drone is used for suicide missions with a range of 100km.
It transmits images up to the point of impact, allowing the user to stay informed about the target’s latest status.
Manufactured in two types: 1 and 2, with somewhat different specifications:
Sa’eqeh-1
With high agility in terms of maneuverability, Saeqeh-1 is among the fastest Iranian propeller-driven UAVs, making it a suitable tool for practicing artillery techniques.
The JATO-launched drone does not need a runway to obtain the necessary initial speed for flight.
Saeqeh-1 is used in the practical training of air defense operations as a target for non-radar air defense systems, as well as to deceive the enemy on the battlefield.
The execution of maneuvers in the Saeqeh-1 is carried out through a radio-controlled device with an optical tracking system by the pilot, and the flight stability is ensured by an automatic stability system.
It is recovered through a parachute, and in emergency situations, it can gently land on the runway by the pilot.
The maximum speed is 250km/h, the flight radius is 10km, the flight ceiling is 11,000 feet (about 3,300m) and its flight duration is about 60 minutes.
Sa’eqeh-2
Sa’eqeh-2, in addition to its educational and personnel training purposes in radar and missile defense, can also be used to deceive the enemy on the battlefield.
This drone can fly at an altitude of 10,000 to 12,000 feet (3,000 to 3,600m).
It has a length of 2.81m, a wingspan of 2.60m, a maximum launch weight of 60kg, a maximum speed of 230 to 250km/h, a flight endurance of 45 to 60 minutes, and a range of 50km.
The ground control station for this drone serves as a system for sending necessary information and commands to guide and control the drone, manipulated by the pilot.
It has the capability for establishing uplink and downlink communication, receiving flight data, storing, and displaying received information.
After following its planned route, Saeqeh-2 automatically returns to its takeoff point, or any predefined location.
The recovery of this drone, like Saeqeh-1, is also carried out through a parachute, and in emergency situations, it can gently land on the runway by the pilot.
This combat drone has a range of 100km and is designed for rapid attacks in less than 30 minutes.
Sa’eqeh-2 is equipped to send images and carry explosive payloads for effective destruction.
Ababil
The Ababil drone group, including types S, B, and T, is another domestically-designed drone family.
Its first-generation design dates back to the mid-years of the Iraqi-imposed war (1980-1988).
The drone uses a four-cylinder piston engine with a propeller blade.
The dimensional and flight specifications of different models within the Ababil family vary, including the capability to reach speeds of 300km/h, an operational identification range of 150km, a flight ceiling of approximately 4,200m, and the capacity to carry identification or explosive payloads ranging from 30kg to 40kg.
In addition to a reconnaissance mission, where Ababil demonstrated its capabilities by capturing images of the US aircraft carriers in October 2023, this drone is also used as an aerial defense target for anti-aircraft exercises.
Ababil is a low-wing aircraft with a canard (foreplane), and this characteristic contributes to its high maneuverability due to the inherent instability or low stability feature, especially at high altitudes.
General features: suitable aerodynamic design, quick disassembly and assembly, ease of use and repair, good maneuverability and flexibility, usability in both sea and land environments, recoverability and reuse, and reasonable total cost.
Kian-1
Built in 2014, the Kian-1 drone has a mission to assess air defense equipment.
It is a small-scale suicide and target drone with a microjet engine capable of reaching a maximum speed of 480km/h.
This drone, with a 2-m wingspan, can carry a payload of 30kg.
It has a ceiling of nearly 5,500m, and flies at a cruising speed of 350km/h.
Karrar
Unveiled in 2010, the Karrar drone has an operational range of up to 1,000km.
It intercepts and destroies aerial targets at a much lower cost than manned jet fighters.
Up to now, four generations of Karrar drones have been introduced, each with slight differences in dimensions and flight characteristics but serving various missions.
All kinds of combat drones are launched using a rail launcher and solid fuel accelerator.
The landing method is carried out through a parachute and airbag.
This model has achieved a maximum flight ceiling of 35,000 feet with a top speed of 700km/h and a cruising speed of 650km/h, and has a continuous flight endurance of one hour and 15 minutes.
Other models of the Karrar have the ability to fly at an altitude of 40,000 feet, equivalent to 12,200m, and a maximum speed of 900km/h.
By adding different navigation systems and an optical sensor at the tip of its nose, as well as a secure data link between the drone and the air defense command stations, the suicide drone has gained the ability to automatically take off from its storage location and fly towards its target with the most optimal takeoff route upon receiving target information directly.
Kian-2
Kian-2 targets and disables aerial defense systems, with precise strikes.
The operational range of this drone is over 1,000km.
This drone is a delta-wing type, which gives it good dynamic characteristics at high speeds, including high maneuverability that is also used to increase accuracy in target destruction.
The thick wings suitable for subsonic flight speeds have allowed Kian-2 to carry much more fuel.
Kian-1 and -2 are capable of carrying out offensive missions necessary for the operation of the country’s air defense network, such as destroying enemy listening posts, or electronic warfare centers that threaten the operation of the country’s air defense system.
Shahed-131 and Shahed-136
For the first time in the Great Prophet (PBUH) 15 drill (June 2021), images of various targets being destroyed by these drones of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force were showcased.
During the Great Prophet (PBUH) 17 drill, these drones also played a prominent role in the exercise of attacking the Dimona nuclear reactor simulator and demonstrated their high accuracy in this exercise.
The suicide drones have delta-shaped bodies and utilize piston engines as propulsion.
Shahed Family drones
These suicide drones are known for their versatility, range, and capabilities for surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat missions.
Shahed-238
Shahed-238 are in three types, equipped with thermal, optical, and sensor-free seekers.
Its turbojet engine provides the Shahed-238 with a cruising speed of around 520km/h during the midcourse of the flight, as recorded during radar surveillance of this drone.
Shahed-107
Shahed 107 is a multi-purpose drone capable of being used not only as a suicide drone but also as a combat or reconnaissance UAV.
Arash
The Arash-2 has a range of 2,000km.
This drone, powered by a piston engine, has a cylindrical body with a vertical tail and two wings positioned at the end of the body.
Its launching method is JATO and, therefore, does not need a runway to obtain the necessary initial speed for flight.
The Arash drone is capable of flying towards targets using various mobile launchers, allowing operators to deploy it in various geographical locations.
Meraj-532
The UAV with a piston engine has a one-way range of 450km.
Its flight ceiling is 12,000 feet (4,267m).
Equipped with a 50-km warhead, this drone is capable of flying at an altitude of 12,000 feet for three hours.
The type of its takeoff is a catapult launch manner from a vehicle.
Sayyad
The Sayyad drone has a slim body and a V-shaped tail to reduce its radar reflectivity.
It also utilizes a piston engine for propulsion.
Meraj-521
The loitering munition drone has the capability of being carried by personnel and deployed in combat units.
The drone has the ability to be fired from various types of vehicles.
Sina
The loitering munition drone is a suicide anti-target drone targeting gatherings of individuals and vehicles.
The drone has an operational range of up to 5km.
It is launched from a ground launcher.
With an eight-minute loitering time, it is equipped with manual and automatic guidance, explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warhead, and an electric motor.