Iran Air Force Unveils First Home-Grown Wide-Body Khodkar Drone

By Staff, News Agencies

Iran’s Air Force just unveiled the first fully home-grown wide-body unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV].

The announcement was made as the country prepares for celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Dubbed Khodkar [Automatic], the drone was showcased at an air defense exhibition in Tehran on Thursday.

Khodkar -- an upgraded version of T-33 training aircraft -- is equipped with two cameras; one located beneath the fuselage to contribute to the take-off and landing phases and another on the front side to provide an alternative cockpit view.

It drone also features receiver GPS and GLONASS antennas, data transmitter antennas besides phased array ones.

Khodkar, which uses a turbojet J85 engine, is also capable of recording data and could be employed in surveillance and combat missions.

It was among a number of other fighter jets put on display at the exhibition.