Shahed 129

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Shahed 129
The second generation Shahed 129.
Role Combat / Intelligence / Surveillance / Reconnaissance (CISR)[1]
National origin Iran
Manufacturer Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation (HESA)[2]
Designer
Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center[3]
First flight Spring 2012[3]
Introduction September 2013
Status In service, in production
Primary user Iran
Produced 2012–present
Number built +42[3]
Developed from Shahed 123[3]
Developed into Shahed 149 Gaza[4]

The Shahed 129 (

MQ-1 Predator[7]
and is widely considered as one of the most capable drones in Iranian service.

The UAV has been used for airstrikes in the

Saegheh are expected to form the backbone of Iran's high-end UAV fleet for at least the next decade.[3]

Development

The first Shahed 129 prototype, with registration number 129-001, can be distinguished by its fixed rear landing gear.

Development began in 2005 when

Hermes 450 UAV that crashed in Iran.[9][10]

Two prototypes were built.

drone strikes until early 2016, when new Sadid-345 precision-guided munitions
were integrated.

The UAV is assembled by HESA.[13] A total of 40 aircraft have been ordered, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by 2024.[3] They are built at a rate of about three per year.[3]

On March 15, 2023, one Shahed is reported to have a sensor attached to the bottom of its body.[14]

Design

The Shahed 129's distinctive V-tail vertical stabilizer.

The Shahed 129 is a large single-engine propeller-driven UAV with

MQ-1 Predator.[3] It has a long, narrow cylindrical fuselage approximately 65–75 cm in diameter, and is fabricated from large panels of composite material with an aluminum alloy superstructure.[3] It has a chin-mounted gimbal electro-optic/infrared sensor for day/night missions, retractable landing gear,[a] and a real-time video data link.[15] There is also a payload bay under the drone's body, at the center of gravity.[16] The Shahed 129 is powered by one Rotax 914 aircraft engine and has two twin hardpoints, for a total of up to four munitions.[3]

The first generation of the Shahed 129.

Originally, the Shahed 129 carried

R&D was not completed because American sanctions prevented Iran from obtaining necessary components.[18] Later, this was replaced by the Sadid-345 precision-guided munition,[citation needed] also known as the Sadid guided bomb. Iranian sources claim the UAV can carry up to eight weapons, but in practice it is not seen with more than four.[8] The Shahed 129 does not carry its weapons in canisters, a practice that was criticised by some aerospace experts, as it exposes the weapons' sensitive electronics to flight conditions.[19]

Given that Iran regularly makes misleading claims about their UAVs, and that Shahed-129 made no known drone strikes for its first four years of flight, there were long doubts about the Shahed-129's claim to be a legitimate strike UAV. Since 2016, there is a general consensus that it is in fact a legitimate UCAV capable of lethal force.[20]

In the foreground are two Sadid-345 precision-guided munitions. To the rear is a Shahed 129, and to the left (blue) a Shahed 121.

Though the Shahed 129 airframe is likely capable of its claimed 1700 km combat range, it relies on a ground control station, which Iranian state media say is limited to a 200 km datalink.

Karrar UAV, to follow predefined way-points beyond its control station's communication range.[21] The Shahed is claimed to have a 24-hour endurance, which is considered plausible but has not been independently verified.[18]

Operational history

A Shahed 129 flies over Damascus in April 2014.

In May 2014, two Shahed 129 aircraft were disassembled and airlifted on an

2017 Deir ez-Zor missile strike.[10] The Shahed 129s have since performed hundreds of sorties in Syria against the Islamic State and rebel forces.[10]

Two Shahed 129s were transferred to Iran's border with Pakistan in 2015, and were later supplemented by two more.

Bandar-Abbas, two on Abu Musa, and one in Urmia.[3] Some number are also stationed in Semnan,[10] and two are based in Kashan Air Base for training.[29] In Syria, satellite imagery placed Shahed 129s at Hama Air Base[30] and T4 airbase.[31] In general, Iran has said little about the Shahed-129's use in Syria.[20]

On 7 June 2017, Hezbollah released video showing an American MQ-1 or MQ-9 UAV flying near al-Tanf. Experts said the footage was "consistent" with video from Shahed-129s.[32]

On 8 June 2017, one of the five Shahed 129s deployed to Syria

F-15E Strike Eagle.[34]

Days later, on 20 June 2017, another F-15E Strike Eagle shot down another Shahed 129 drone again near Al-Tanf.[35] The drone approached in a similar manner to the previous incident and was shot down before it reached the range at which it could deploy its weapons.[36]

On the same day, on 20 June 2017, a Pakistani JF-17 shot down a Shahed 129 after it entered Pakistani airspace near Panjgur.[37][38] It flew about 3–4 km into Pakistani airspace.[39]

Overall, three Shahed 129s were shot down. An additional aircraft crashed in 2015 near Chabahar[40] and is believed to have been rebuilt.[41]

In spring 2019, Shahed 129s were used by the IRGC to assist in relief operations in flood-affected regions of Khuzestan Province, Iran.[2]

Variants

A new Shahed 129 variant distinguishable by a bulging nose was developed by Shahed Aviation Industries in 2015 and revealed in February 2016. Iranian sources say this variant is equipped with satellite navigation, which will extend the range of the UAV.

synthetic aperture radar.[43] In addition, the payload is increased by 100 kg and the range is increased to 3000 km, according to Iran.[3] A naval version called Simorgh was presented in December 2019.[44] A variant with a possible external synthetic aperture radar was observed in 2023.[45]

Operators

 Iran
Used by
IRGC-ASF 26–28 delivered, 3 shot down, leaving 23–25 in service (2018).[note 1] 40 ordered.[3] A different source reports possibly 50 produced.[46]
 Russia
Russia is reported to have ordered 46 drones of various models from Iran. On 5 August 2022, Ukrainian officials confirmed Russian forces were operating these drones in combat over Ukraine, some of which are reported to be older models of the Shahed 129. Quoting a Ukrainian government official: "Advisor to the Ukrainian President’s Office, Oleksiy Arestovych, stated on August 5 that Iran handed 46 drones over to Russia and that the Ukrainian government has already noted the use of these drones in combat in Ukraine. At least a portion of the provided drones are older-generation “Shahed 129” heavy strike drones, which Russian forces may seek to use to attack US-provided HIMARS in Ukraine."[47]

Specifications (Shahed 129A)

Data from Aviation Week[3] unless otherwise cited

General characteristics

  • Crew: none
  • Capacity: 400 kg payload
  • Length: 8 m (26 ft 3 in)
  • Wingspan: 16 m (52 ft 6 in)
  • Height: 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 four cylinder, four stroke aircraft engine 75 kW (100 shp)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
  • Combat range: 1,700 km (1,100 mi, 920 nmi)
  • Ferry range: 3,400 km (2,100 mi, 1,800 nmi)
  • Endurance: 24h
  • Service ceiling: 7,300 m (24,000 ft)

Armament

Avionics

  • Oghab-6 electro-optical/infrared sensor[b]
  • Laser range finder

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Notes

  1. ^ In a 2017 article in Aviation Week & Space Technology, Shahed 129 expert Babak Taghvaee said 22 aircraft had been built.[3] In a post on Twitter in 2019,[2] he said 4 to 6 were manufactured in 2018, for a total of 26–28 built.
  1. ^ The first prototype, with model number 129-001, has fixed landing gear and no weapons-carrying ability.[10]
  2. ^ The first few aircraft have different avionics.[3]

References

  1. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (14 February 2018). "The Military Balance 2018". The Military Balance. 118. Routledge.
  2. ^ a b c Taghvaee, Babak (21 April 2019). "Babak Taghvaee on Twitter". Twitter.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Taghvaee, Babak (27 July 2017). "Shahed 129 Heads Iran's Armed UAV Force". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  4. ^ "اسرائیل: ایران از قشم و چابهار عملیات دریایی و پهپادی می‌کند". BBC News فارسی (in Persian). Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  5. ^ Segura, Cristian (12 October 2022). "Iranian 'suicide' drones: Russia's new favorite weapon in Ukraine war". EL PAÍS English Edition. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Iran". RUSI.
  7. ^ a b c 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).
  8. ^ a b c Galen Wright (29 February 2016). "Examining Iranian Drone Strikes in Syria". Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  9. ^ Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi and Justin Bronk (17 December 2018). "Armed Drones in the Middle East: Proliferation and Norms in the Region" (PDF). Occasional Papers. Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Ahmad, Naveed (2 June 2019). "The Advent of Drones: Iran's Weapon of Choice" (PDF). International Institute for Iranian Studies (Rasanah).[dead link]
  11. ^ Cenciotti, David (4 July 2012). "Photo: Iran's brand new drones (including an Israeli UAV clone) exposed during recent wargames". theaviationist.com.
  12. ^ "IRGC Announces Production of Drone with Missile Capability". a6 News. 16 September 2012. Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  13. ^ a b Gettinger, Dan (December 2016). "Drones Operating in Syria and Iraq" (PDF). Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College.
  14. ^ "New payload seen on Iranian Shahed-129 UAV".
  15. ^ a b "Iran's Shahed-129 Drone in Combat Operations in Syria". en.farsnews.ir. 4 February 2016.
  16. ^ Eshel, Tamir (28 September 2013). "Iran's Shahed-129 Combat Drone to Enter Serial Production".
  17. ^ "Babak Taghvaee on Twitter". Twitter. 27 June 2017.
  18. ^ a b Rawnsley, Adam (5 September 2014). "Like It or Not, Iran Is a Drone Power".
  19. ^ a b Barbara Opall-Rome (30 September 2013). "Iran Boasts UAV Self-Sufficiency". Defense News.
  20. ^ a b Rawnsley, Adam (9 June 2017). "Drone War Heats Up in the Skies Over Syria". The Daily Beast.
  21. ^ Introduction of intelligent bomb detected by sadid 342 and sadid 361 militarynews.ir
  22. ^ Cenciotti, David (10 April 2014). "Iranian Shahed 129 drone appears over Damascus". theaviationist.com.
  23. ^ Jeremy Binnie (13 April 2014). "New UAV spotted over Damascus". London: IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014.
  24. ^ Jeremy Binnie. "Analysis: Syrian rebel video corroborates Iranian UAV strike claims". London: IHS Jane's Defence Weekly.
  25. AirForces Monthly
    . No. 338. Key Publishing. pp. 80–83.
  26. ^ توضیح سلامی درمورد قدرت موشکی ایران (in Persian). Mashregh News. 26 September 2012.
  27. ^ ساخت پهپاد شاهد 129 امنیت جای جای ایران اسلامی را در پی دارد ساخت RQ170 ايراني. YJC.
  28. ^ Dan Gettinger (4 June 2016). "Drone Activity in Iran".
  29. ^ "Babak Taghvaee on Twitter".
  30. ^ "Dan Gettinger on Twitter". Twitter. 10 October 2017.
  31. ^ Lyamin, Yuri (20 March 2018). Сирийская авиабаза Т4 после израильского удара в феврале (in Russian).
  32. ^ "Adam Rawnsley on Twitter".
  33. ^ Lara Seligman (14 September 2017). "How U.S. F-15E Drone Shoot-Down Changed Air Game In Syria". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  34. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (8 June 2017). "F-15E Shot Down "Predator-Sized" Drone That Attacked Coalition Forces In Syria". The Drive.
  35. ^ US Central Command/CJTFOIR (20 June 2017). "Coalition shoots down armed UAV in Syria".
  36. ^ Col. Ryan Dillon (23 June 2017). "Operation Inherent Resolve Update – Col. Ryan Dillon". Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve – via Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).
  37. ^ "Iranian drone allegedly on spying mission shot down 'deep inside' Balochistan". 20 June 2017.
  38. ^ "Pakistan confirms shooting down Iranian drone". The Express Tribune. 22 June 2017.
  39. ^ وزارت خارجه پاکستان تایید کرد پهپاد سرنگون شده متعلق به ایران است. BBC News فارسی (in Persian). BBC. 22 June 2017.
  40. ^ Jeremy Binnie (16 August 2015). "Iranian Shahed-129 UAV crashes". London: IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 17 August 2015.
  41. ^ Taghvaee, Babak (27 June 2017). شاهد ۱۲۹، ستون فقرات نیروی پهپادی ایران. BBC News فارسی (in Persian). BBC Persian.
  42. ^ "Iran Joins Satellite-Guided Armed UAV Club". Operational Environment Watch: Foreign News & Perspectives of the Operational Environment. 6 (5). Foreign Military Studies Office: 8. May 2016.
  43. ^ Gareth Jennings (18 February 2016). "Iran reveals redesigned Shahed-129 UAV". London: IHS Jane's International Defence Review. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016.
  44. ^ Iran Unveils New Naval Drone tasnimnews.com
  45. ^ "New payload seen on Iranian Shahed-129 UAV". Janes.com. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  46. ^ Janes analysis shahed129 Hamaseh ihsmarkit.com
  47. ^ Kateryna Stepanenko, Layne Phillipson, Karolina Hird, Katherine Lawlor, Angela Howard, and Frederick W. Kagan (5 August 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 5". understandingwar.org.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  48. ^ a b "AviationsMilitaires.net — HESA Shahed 129". www.aviationsmilitaires.net.[unreliable source?]
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