Meet Iran's suicide UAV with 2000km range

[White and Green with M/S]

You dont understand the fact. US Israel west or Russia China have the capability to design and develop technology that it wants... on the other hand Iran can only desire such technology and is not capable of fullfilling its desire simply because its lack of technical advancement in such field. its very fanboyish to believe that just because Iran needs something it will achieve it..
BM, cruise missiles are relatively easy for Iran to obtain since it can access such technology from China and Russia which are its primary source of military technology. It can not achieve 2,000 km suicided drone technology because none of other technologically advanced nation have such a thing.
Just like if you want to be a weight lifter you would always lose in heavy weight category as a light weight. I hope you got my analogy.
Which powerful nation would not want to have a drone that can sneak up 2000 km inside enemy territory and destroy important enemy's military installments. Israel which is technically advanced then Iran has been working on suicided drones for decades and if they cant achieve 2000 km range then so cant Iran.

@The Eagle @waz @Foxtrot Alpha @LeGenD please control this guy, thanks

 

[Philosopher]

You dont understand the fact. US Israel west or Russia China have the capability to design and develop technology that it wants... on the other hand Iran can only desire such technology and is not capable of fullfilling its desire simply because its lack of technical advancement in such field. its very fanboyish to believe that just because Iran needs something it will achieve it..

Iran has already developed and tested these systems, it's not a matter of desire. Morever, you're trying to change the subtopic. You started off claiming one of the reasons this UAV could not reach those ranges is because the Americans (as one example) have not produced something with those ranges, then when you were debunked, you're now saying, only the Americans, Israel, West can but not Iran. Your goal post is going more and more into the fantasy realm.

BM, cruise missiles are relatively easy for Iran to obtain since it can access such technology from China and Russia which are its primary source of military technology.

By your logic:

1- Russia and China can develop such a UAV given they have the technology
2- Iran has access to their technology
3- Thus Iran should be able to make such a UAV

You don't even realise you're contradicting yourself in your own paragraph.

The reality is of course, The Russians barely gave Iran a defensive s-300, never-mind giving Iran cruise missile and/or BMs.

It can not achieve 2,000 km suicided drone technology because none of other technologically advanced nation have such a thing.

Your logic:

1- Other nations have not decided to develop such a UAV
2- Thus until they do, Iran can not.

I wonder how many times you will repeat yourself. Do you think people do not realise you're just recycling the same comments?

Just like if you want to be a weight lifter you would always lose in heavy weight category as a light weight. I hope you got my analogy.

Your analogy does not make sense. In this case, all parties involve have the ability to engage in that category. A more sensible analogy for your flawed logic is this:

Country x has decided to use its UAVs to drop land mines, you reply by saying well country Y which is generally more advanced has not done it yet thus country x must be lying about its capability.

You're confusing the want to develop something vs the actual development of it. To develop something you first need to want to do it.

Which powerful nation would not want to have a drone that can sneak up 2000 km inside enemy territory and destroy important enemy's military installments.

Because those nations have other means of doing the same job, such as them delivering airborne cruise missiles via their large airforce, something Iran lacks. Not all nations have the same requirements. It's like claiming Americans have not developed accurate conventional ballistic missile, thus it must not be possible for Iran. The obvious explanation is, they have other means of power projection.

Israel which is technically advanced then Iran has been working on suicided drones for decades and if they cant achieve 2000 km range then so cant Iran.

You're making the assumption that Israel wanted to create such a thing, but could not. Once again, a flawed comparison.

 

[Bahram Esfandiari]

The fact that this idiot who thinks that wing length determines range calls him self "Myth Buster" is absolutely Hilarious!!!

 

[Shawnee]

Millimeter wave mono pulse radar for terminal guidance in missiles is another method. Not sure if Iran has ever used it, but Russian and Chinese missiles do use it.

Iranian Terahertz from 2017

 

[adelphi]

If a UAV can fly for lets say 12 hours and it travels at 400km/h, how far could it travel?

The ones with 12hr endurance have long wings & basically it glides over a certain area. Unless Iranian physics is different I don't see it having a range of 4000KMs without refueling.
Even if it does, what's the point of such UAV as it will reach it's target in 10hrs.

 

[Philosopher]

The ones with 12hr endurance have long wings & basically it glides over a certain area.

The large aspect ratio of the surveillance UAVs have little to do with their range, it is because surveillance nature of those UAVs are better suited with such a thing. Long aspect ratio have lower induced drag and are better suited at high altitude, this is because induced drag is higher at higher altitudes where these surveillance UAVs spend most of their time. This is basic aerodynamics:

Induced drag is most significant at low speeds and high altitudes

There are other benfits of having low vs high aspect ratio. Check below article for more details:

How Does Aspect Ratio Affect Your Wing?

Some wings are short and stubby, while others are long and skinny. What's up with the difference?

www.boldmethod.com

You are talking as if a large aspect ratio is a requirement for UAVs to have longer ranges. This is devoid of aerodynamic sense.

Unless Iranian physics is different I don't see it having a range of 4000KMs without refueling.

The issue is you apparently know much about physics in general. There is absolutely nothing that states such UAVs require refuelling. Most of these UAVs fly for many hours without any refuelling. Even small UAVs can travel for 2500km if needed, check ScanEagle.

Even if it does, what's the point of such UAV as it will reach it's target in 10hrs.

You can ask the Saudis regarding the potency of these systems.
Moreover, the point regarding how it long it takes to get there is moot. If we consider a pre-programmed UAV, these will be used to target static targets. I don't think something like an oil facility will be going anywhere in that time. Regarding the issue of detection, these low flying UAVs are inherently difficult to detect.

 

[Arian]

The ones with 12hr endurance have long wings & basically it glides over a certain area. Unless Iranian physics is different I don't see it having a range of 4000KMs without refueling.
Even if it does, what's the point of such UAV as it will reach it's target in 10hrs.

I have to agree with you. The UCAV seems too small to carry enough fuel for traveling 4,000 kilometers.
4,000 kilometers is about the flight distance from Tehran to Geneva, or from Tabriz to London!

I think 4,000 kilometers is far-fetched, but 2,000 kilometers seems possible to me.

 

[Philosopher]

Trying to judge the endurance of UAVs by their size will mislead, hence why you don't do it. Like explained already, something as small as ScanEagle can have a flight endurance of the 24+hours meaning it could potentially travel 2500km. Such long endurances in UAVs are common place. In terms of the 4000km figure, that is a different variant of the UAV. The one I posted in this thread is the 2000km ranged system. However a 4000km is also well within its capability.

Range of Iran’s Suicide Drones Extended to 4,000 km

Range of Iran’s Suicide Drones Extended to 4,000 km - Politics news - Tasnim News Agency

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Army experts have dramatically increased the flight endurance of suicide UAVs, manufacturing drones with an operational range of 4,000 kilometers, a commander said.

www.tasnimnews.com

​

 

[Arian]

ScanEagle has a flight endurance of +20 hours but it has never been designed to go as far as 2,000 kilometers, let alone 4,000 kilometers, and it probably won't go as far as 2,000 kilometers either. ScanEagle needs a data link because it is not a suicide drone and it is not preprogrammed, which restricts its effective range to 100 kilometers anyway.

Also, there's a huge difference between a range of 2,000 kilometers and a range of 4,000 kilometers, the later being twice of the former. Unless we have a photo of the other variant that can travel up to 4,000 kilometers, based on what we see now, it seems far-fetched that it could travel 4,000 kilometers. The other variant must be noticeably larger than this one. I have no objection to 2,000 kilometers though.

 

[Shawnee]

As far as wing span and speed and endurance, Philosophers discussed it well.

As far as fuel, extra fuel tanks are available as needed.

As far as datalink from 4000 km, relay station, relay UAV and OTH/BLOS communication capabilities. It is a piece of cake.

 

[Arian]

As far as wing span and speed and endurance, Philosophers discussed it well.

As far as fuel, extra fuel tanks are available as needed.

As far as datalink from 4000 km, relay station, relay UAV and OTH/BLOS communication capabilities. It is a piece of cake.

The issue of data link is not brought up because it's a suicide drone and it's preprogrammed.

The main issue is fuel. Fuel tanks will likely increase its RCS and make it heavier. Instead of adding extra fuel tanks, they can build a larger version. One way or another, it needs more space for fuel to travel 4,000 kilometers.

 

[Philosopher]

ScanEagle has a flight endurance of +20 hours but it has never been designed to go as far as 2,000 kilometers, let alone 4,000 kilometers, and it probably won't go as far as 2,000 kilometers either. ScanEagle needs a data link because it is not a suicide drone and it is not preprogrammed, which restricts its effective range to 100 kilometers anyway.

The point is not whether it is used for that purpose, but could it. We all know ScanEagle is used for surveillance purposes, but point is, what is the maximum distance it could travel in theory? 2500km is the answer.

Also, there's a huge difference between a range of 2,000 kilometers and a range of 4,000 kilometers, the later being twice of the former. Unless we have a photo of the other variant that can travel up to 4,000 kilometers, based on what we see now, it seems far-fetched that it could travel 4,000 kilometers. The other variant must be noticeably larger than this one. I have no objection to 2,000 kilometers though.

The point was if a UAV as small as SanEagle could have the endurance of 2500km, what makes you think the current Arash needs to become bigger to accommodate the extra range? You appear to be assuming the current Arash is maxed out at 2000km in terms of how much its size can accommodate, however what is this based on?

 

[Shawnee]

The issue of data link is not brought up because it's a suicide drone and it's preprogrammed.

The main issue is fuel. Fuel tanks will likely increase its RCS and make it heavier. Instead of adding extra fuel tanks, they can build a larger version. One way or another, it needs more space for fuel to travel 4,000 kilometers.

Fuel tank will be released on the way before any serious engagement. Before that yes more RCS.

Datalink still an option in a suicide drone.

 

[Arian]

The point is not whether it is used for that purpose, but could it. We all know ScanEagle is used for surveillance purposes, but point is, what is the maximum distance a small UAV like that could travel in theory? 2500km is the answer.

Do the calculations. I'd like to see a proof of the answer.

The point was if a UAV as small as SanEagle could have the endurance of 2500km, what makes you think the current Arash needs to become bigger to accommodate the extra range? You appear to be assuming the current Arash is maxed out at 2000km in terms of how much its size can accommodate, however what is this based on?

Your very first hypothesis about ScanEagle is under question at the moment.
It is based on what your answer is based on: extrapolation. Once you have provided me with a rigorous proof that the theoretical range of ScanEagle is 2,500 kilometers, we can discuss whether Arash as seen in the photo can travel 4,000 kilometers.

Fuel tank will be released on the way before any serious engagement. Before that yes more RCS.

Datalink still an option in a suicide drone.

The point is what mission would Arash try to accomplish? If we're going to use Arash against Europe or Israel, having a higher RCS at the beginning can increase the chance of its early detection because as you know, the US and NATO have a strong military presence in our Western borders.

Yeah, it is. But there are caveats. I think Arash as a preprogrammed drone will be a much more deadly asset.

 

[Philosopher]

Do the calculations. I'd like to see a proof of the answer.

Multiply the cruise speed by the endurance. Its cruise speed is 111km/h and it has an endurance of around 24 hours. What's the total displacement?

Your very first hypothesis about ScanEagle is under question at the moment.
It is based on what your answer is based on: extrapolation. Once you have provided me with a rigorous proof that the theoretical range of ScanEagle is 2,500 kilometers, we can discuss whether Arash as seen in the photo can travel 4,000 kilometers.

It's basic mathematics that anyone can do by doing a quick research. Nothing rigorous about it.