Iran’s Shahed-129 Drone in Combat Operations in Syria

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Iran’s Shahed-129 Drone in Combat Operations in Syria

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that its Shahed (Eye-Witness) 129 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is providing combat support to the resistance front in the war on terrorism in Syria.

As reported by the Iranian state TV, the drone can fly as far as 2,000km to carry out any type of combat missions outside the national borders. The specifications referred to by the report mentions an effective operational radius of 1,700 km, datalink range of 200km, flight endurance of 24 hours, and a flight ceiling of 24,000 feet.

The IRGC launched the mass-production of the indigenously developed drone in September 2012. The drone was displayed recently in an armed configuration, carrying four guided missiles loaded on two twin-launchers, carried underwing. The State TV said the drone can carry up to eight weapons, designed to hit stationary and mobile targets alike.

Shahed 129 is a powerful platform with significant more payload capacity, compared to other similar drones. Its external shape reflects significant advancement in composite materials fabrication, including the production of large airframe and structural elements. Strike missions employing guided weapons also indicate the evolution of compact yet capable sensors and datalinks, enabling the relay of target images and engagement of such targets in real time, over considerable distances.

According to IRGC Commander General Aziz Jafari, Iran is currently marketing the Shahed-129 UCAV for export to potential international customers.


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One of the locations showed is south of Aleppo:

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Iranian UAV shown striking targets in Syria and Iraq
Gareth Jennings, London and Neil Gibson, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
05 February 2016

A screenshot from an Iranian TV news programme showing an armed Shahed-129 UAV being demonstrated to the country's media. Source: SimaNews / YouTube
Iran appears to have conducted strike missions over Syria and Iraq using its Shahed-129 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), according to footage released by national media on 2 February.

A news report filed by media channel SimaNews shows at least two armed Shahed-129 UAVs being demonstrated at an undisclosed airfield, presumably in Iran, as well as electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) imagery taken from the UAV's weapon systems purportedly showing them striking vehicles and other targets in Syria and on Iran's 'western borders'. At least some of the strike footage is from October 2015, as shown by a date stamp on the weapon system EO/IR imagery, while latitude and longitude co-ordinates also shown correspond to Aleppo province, Syria.

Both UAVs are shown in the report equipped with twin underwing hardpoints. They appear to be carrying Sadid-1 tube-launched air-to-surface missiles that have been modified into glide bombs specifically for use on the Shahed-129, given that they are not stowed on the launch rails that would normally be used for missiles. At least two seekers types are present, most likely imaging infrared (IIR) and charge-coupled device television (CCDTV). The Sadid-1 shares features that are common to US BGM-71 TOW, Denel Dynamics Ingwe, China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) HJ-12 (Red Arrow 12), and Rafael Spike LR.

A screenshot showing what appears to be the terminal phase an attack by the Shahed-129 on a vehicle in either Syria or Iraq. (SimaNews / YouTube)

IHS Jane's reported in April 2014 that the Shahed-129 was believed to be operating over the Syrian capital of Damascus, following the publication of images of a UAV flying over the city that had a very similar V-tail and straight-wing configuration as the Iranian aircraft. At that time, the UAV was believed to be conducting surveillance mission and was not seen to be armed.

First revealed by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in September 2012, the single-engined propeller-driven Shahed-129 is billed as being Iran's most sophisticated UAV, with an endurance of 24 hours and a range of 2,000 km.