Iran unveils unmanned ground effect vehicle

[Arminkh]

I'm starting to like Janes!


Iran unveils unmanned ground effect vehicle
Jeremy Binnie, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
27 October 2016

The photographs published by Tasnim showed an unmanned ground effect vehicle powered by what appeared to be two-stroke engines. Source: Tasnim News Agency

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) appears to be developing the world's first unmanned ground effect vehicle (UGEV), which could be used as the basis for a long-range munition.

The existence of a UGEV was revealed by a report published by the Tasnim news agency on 26 October, but removed from its website a few hours later.

The report described it as a "combat-reconnaissance drone" that had been developed by the IRGC's naval wing and can carry military night vision systems that work in high humidity environments.

The drone has a range of 1,000 km, can fly as low as 50 cm above the sea, can reach a maximum altitude of 3,000 ft, and has a maximum speed of 200 km/h, the Tasnim report said. "Although the drone cannot carry missiles, it is able to carry explosives and hit sea or ground targets," it added.

The report was accompanied by photographs showing a UGEV powered by two small piston engines with forward-facing propellers.

GEVs exploit the aerodynamic interaction between their wings and the surface- typically the sea - to fly lower and more efficiently than conventional aircraft, while achieving far higher speeds than boats. Some types can also operate outside ground effect like conventional aircraft.

Iran already has experience in developing GEVs, having unveiled the Bavar-2, which comes in single- and two-seat variants, in 2010. A larger two-engine GEV has been seen in satellite imagery of the Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex (ISOIC) shipyard near Bostanu on 6 October 2010.

 

[vizier]

It seems to be too slow to be used as an anti ship missile. At close range it can be detected and hit easily. But if it has a passive sensor like infrared it can drop a torpedo to go for the kill and possibly return.

Another option is if it cant carry a torpedo it can carry sophisticated sensor package to que other attack means for example when it detects and pinpoints a carrier group you can launch anti ship ballistic missiles or cruise missiles towards the designated targets from standoff range.

Or with considerable range it can detect and destroy unmanned surface vehicles like the anti submarine drone Actuv in kamikaze mode. It can even be deployed by your submarines for that role.

 

[Arminkh]

It seems to be too slow to be used as an anti ship missile. At close range it can be detected and hit easily. But if it has a passive sensor like infrared it can drop a torpedo to go for the kill and possibly return.

Another option is if it cant carry a torpedo it can carry sophisticated sensor package to que other attack means for example when it detects and pinpoints a carrier group you can launch anti ship ballistic missiles or cruise missiles towards the designated targets from standoff range.

Or with considerable range it can detect and destroy unmanned surface vehicles like the anti submarine drone Actuv in kamikaze mode. It can even be deployed by your submarines for that role.

I think it is just a test bed and probably smaller than the final actual product that can be put to use.

 

[AmirPatriot]

I'm starting to like Janes!

Its not Janes, its that author Jeremy Binnie who has been writing these good articles. He also wrote the Bavar-373 article. The rest of their authors are still assholes...

 

[vizier]

Even if it is much larger uav some submarines can be converted to launch it. There is no need to launch uavs from vertical tubes or torpedo tubes.
In old times just like the regulus cruise missile submarines had carriages on top of them to carry the cruise missile for surface launch of the missile like in the below picture. If there is no option to launch cruise missiles from below surface launch is always an option.

.

Similarly some subs can be converted for that role to throw large uavs to collect target data or attack unprotected targets like opposing unmanned surface vehicles.

 

[Faravahar]

Excellent news!

 

[mohsen]

For those who were wondering why IRGC unveiled it's drone this way and in this fair!

http://www.snn.ir/detail/video/555364/202
چه کسانی می‌خواهند صنایع هوافضای ایران را زمین بزنند؟/ مسئولان نه برای تحریم برنامه داشتند نه برای پساتحریم