Iran Air Force Unveils Homegrown Shahab Drone Designed for Training Purposes

By Staff, Agencies

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force [IRIAF] has put on display a homegrown unmanned aerial vehicle, which has been specifically designed and manufactured for training purposes.

The drone, dubbed Shahab [Meteoroid] was put on display during a ceremony at the Shahid Lashgari Airbase in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Wednesday, with a number of high-ranking military officials, commanders and state officials in attendance.

Shahab reportedly enjoys capabilities suitable for intelligence activities, observation and reconnaissance in various environments, and the maximum altitude it can fly is 11,000 feet [3.35 kilometers] above the ground.

Moreover, the aircraft has a flight endurance of eight hours. Its flight radius for training activities stands at 10 kilometers, but can be elevated to 200 kilometers once dispatched on reconnaissance missions.

The unmanned aerial vehicle also has an inverted V-shaped tail in order to maintain its balance during takeoff, flight and landing.

Shahab drone is an upgraded and advanced version of its predecessor Safir [Envoy], and is significantly lighter.

Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headway in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, saying the Islamic Republic’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities.