Iranian UAVs | News and Discussions

[StarmanInSpace]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1364527275501355008

 

[MTN1917]

IRIAF Kaman-22 UCAV prototype with a range of 3000km and endurance of more than 24 hours.

It appears to be equipped with an ECM pod.

Looks like a mini MQ-9.

 

[IranDefence]

IRIAF Kaman-22 UCAV prototype with a range of 3000km and endurance of more than 24 hours.

It appears to be equipped with an ECM pod.
View attachment 719456
View attachment 719457
View attachment 719458

Looks like a mini MQ-9.

Ey Jaan

 

[Hack-Hook]

Wonder why they didnt used the engine they used in Shahed-171
By the way the range of the weapon it can carry is intresting.

 

[Sina-1]

IRIAF Kaman-22 UCAV prototype with a range of 3000km and endurance of more than 24 hours.

It appears to be equipped with an ECM pod.
View attachment 719456
View attachment 719457
View attachment 719458

Looks like a mini MQ-9.

it is a aesthetically pleasing UAV. I give them that, much more so than S129 and Fortros. But it is still in the same class! This UCAV is everything that is wrong with the airforce. Why don't you just improve on current designs and why is it important for you to develop something which is a downsized replica of an american system? Is it that important that it looks "western"?

10 years after s129 and they deliver something in the same category and maybe, MAYBE, slightly better performance but much higher production cost.

 

[Hack-Hook]

it is a aesthetically pleasing UAV. I give them that, much more so than S129 and Fortros. But it is still in the same class! This UCAV is everything that is wrong with the airforce. Why don't you just improve on current designs and why is it important for you to develop something which is a downsized replica of an american system? Is it that important that it looks "western"?

10 years after s129 and they deliver something in the same category and maybe, MAYBE, slightly better performance but much higher production cost.

Well ,I looked at the weapons in front of it and i don't think any Shahed or Mohajer UAV ever be able to carry those.
Also the range have been increased by 50%.
And the altitude probably is higher.

 

[MTN1917]

More pics:

it is a aesthetically pleasing UAV. I give them that, much more so than S129 and Fortros. But it is still in the same class! This UCAV is everything that is wrong with the airforce. Why don't you just improve on current designs and why is it important for you to develop something which is a downsized replica of an american system? Is it that important that it looks "western"?

10 years after s129 and they deliver something in the same category and maybe, MAYBE, slightly better performance but much higher production cost.

It would have save costs if both IRGC ASF and IRIAF had bought MOD's Fotros but like IRGC ASF Shahed Industries, IRIAF has its own industries, "Owj Industries" or better called "Owj complex" has serious infastructure and capabalities(Kowsar airframes are built there).

This is why IRIAF is interested in keeping developing and producing its own UAV designs(like IRGC ASF) as it is capable of producing them by itself.

 

[VEVAK]

IRIAF Kaman-22 UCAV prototype with a range of 3000km and endurance of more than 24 hours.

It appears to be equipped with an ECM pod.
View attachment 719456
View attachment 719457
View attachment 719458

Looks like a mini MQ-9.

Very nice! However, still in the same class as the CAIG Wing Long & MQ-1
CAIG Wing Loong - Wikipedia


It clearly does not have big enough engines to be in the MQ-9 class meaning it does not seem to have a Turboprop engine....

If Iran isn't already in the process of producing a good turboprop engine, going with a nice Turbofan engine like the Jahesh-700 may be faster & easier since the tech has already been developed....


It's a great sign that the Air Force is now taking UAV development a bit more seriously and I hope that they continue down this path at far greater speeds and work to develop more capable high speed UCAV's at far greater speeds

Low operational costs of UAV's like the Kaman-22 will allow Iran to maintain a large number in the Air at any given time.

 

[MTN1917]

More pics from the rear:

 

[Sina-1]

It would have save costs if both IRGC ASF and IRIAF had bought MOD's Fotros but like IRGC ASF Shahed Industries, IRIAF has its own industries, "Owj Industries" or better called "Owj complex" has serious infastructure and capabalities(Kowsar airframes are built there).

You need to present the timeline in order for this argument to be bullet proof. S129 was developed and operated before Fortros prototype was even ready by defence ministry. So even if IRGC would have wanted to buy it from defence ministry it would take too long for them to deliver it.
Air force on the other could buy the system from defence ministry and even produce it in their own facilities but it chose to re-invent the wheel. So what's the point with the defence ministry and fortros now? A full fledged HALE that nobody wants to use. However you want to look at this you cannot disregard that it is a waste. As an engineer I can look at this UAV and be happy to see a well designed product but a strategist would probably pull out his hair because of time and resource wasting.

 

[MTN1917]

You need to present the timeline in order for this argument to be bullet proof. S129 was developed and operated before Fortros prototype was even ready by defence ministry. So even if IRGC would have wanted to buy it from defence ministry it would take too long for them to deliver it.
Air force on the other could buy the system from defence ministry and even produce it in their own facilities but it chose to re-invent the wheel. So what's the point with the defence ministry and fortros now? A full fledged HALE that nobody wants to use. However you want to look at this you cannot disregard that it is a waste. As an engineer I can look at this UAV and be happy to see a well designed product but a strategist would probably pull out his hair because of time and resource wasting.

I agree that our resources can be better put to use, but even if we put the timeline into perspective, the question is that why IRGC was able to finish Shahed-129 sooner than IAIO Fotros?
It is because IRGC has access to vast resources and infastructure that even MOD doesn't have access to.

In theory MODAFL should be the sole designer and producer of weaponary for the armed forces but due to many reasons this is not the case.

That is why we have two different sets of comparable Air defense systems(albeit with different doctrines) like Raad family and Mersad-16 and etc developed by IRGC SSJ and MOD respectively(Taer and Sayyad missile families).

That is the reason we have comparable UAV designs like Mohajer-6 and Shahed-123 and etc.

Interestingly it appears that we have two separate solid fuel missile program!!! One run by MOD resulting in Zoljanah SLV and one by IRGC SSJ resulting in Qased SLV and future Qaem SLV.

So as it seems dual system has became insitutional in Iran, well it has its disadvantage and advantages, it consumes a larger sum of resources and increases complexities while at the same time it introduces different systems with different capabilities and increases our flexibility and so on, it also make uses of our two militaries existing infastructure.

Quite frankly Army can't compete with IRGC but recently we have seen beter results from Army SSJ(like Zarharan armor industries, Ya Ali helicopter indutries and recent achievment by IRIAF Owj complex).

For now that is the way that things are run in Iran, although even inside the services we see different preferences like IRGC GF and IRIGF(Army GF) getting Mohajer-6 and Fotros in future while both IRGC ASF and IRIAF are stiking with their own designs(Shahed123, 129 and Kaman 12, 22 respectively)!!!

 

[Mr Iran Eye]

Wow super drone | Haven't you noticed the concept of the rear wing under the drone? Wonderful design!

 

[zestokryl]

Judging by the narrow tail cross section, its been fitted with turboprop

 

[Hack-Hook]

You need to present the timeline in order for this argument to be bullet proof. S129 was developed and operated before Fortros prototype was even ready by defence ministry. So even if IRGC would have wanted to buy it from defence ministry it would take too long for them to deliver it.
Air force on the other could buy the system from defence ministry and even produce it in their own facilities but it chose to re-invent the wheel. So what's the point with the defence ministry and fortros now? A full fledged HALE that nobody wants to use. However you want to look at this you cannot disregard that it is a waste. As an engineer I can look at this UAV and be happy to see a well designed product but a strategist would probably pull out his hair because of time and resource wasting.

the problem is that right now fotros have same problem Ankai had for many years . it has potential but still face problem in engine area

 

[yavar]

Turboprop engine....

If Iran isn't already in the process of producing a good turboprop engine,

2019
Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff IRGC Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri: We we are embarking on the construction of helicopter engines, and we are on the verge of achieving complete self-sufficiency in these valuable systems
https://tn.ai/2077268