Shahed 149 Gaza
Iranian UCAV named after the Gaza Strip, unveiled in 2021.
The Shahed 149 Gaza is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. It is a high-altitude, long-endurance drone that resembles the American MQ-9 Reaper in both appearance and function, and it is the first Iranian UAV to use a turboprop engine. The drone was publicly revealed on May 21, 2021, and was named after the Gaza Strip to honor the Palestinian struggle during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. It entered service with the IRGC Aerospace Force in 2022.
The aircraft is larger and heavier than the earlier Shahed 129, which was comparable to the MQ-1 Predator, and is claimed to outperform its predecessor. It can stay airborne for 24 hours, has a maximum operational range of 2,500 kilometers (1,562 miles), a wingspan of 21 meters, and a top speed of 340 kilometers per hour. It is capable of carrying 13 bombs and 500 kilograms of electronic equipment.
The first known mention of the drone came on February 23, 2020, when a defense reporter for Tasnim News posted about it on Twitter. It was unveiled in May 2021, passed flight tests in April 2022, and was accepted for service that same month.
Quick Facts
- Aircraft Type
- Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
- National Origin
- Iran
- Manufacturer
- HESA
- Design Group
- Shahed Aviation Industries
- Primary User
- Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
- Construction Date
- 3 as of April 2022
- Introduction
- April 2022
- Developed From
- Shahed 129
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Shahed 149 Gaza was named after the Gaza Strip in honor of the Palestinians' struggle against Israel amid the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. It was unveiled on 21 May 2021 and delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force in 2022. The drone is larger and heavier than the earlier Shahed 129 and claimed to be more capable than its predecessor, which was similar to the MQ-1 Predator.
The first mention of the drone occurred on February 23, 2020, when a defense reporter for Tasnim News posted on Twitter that Iran was developing a drone called 'Shahed 149'. The drone passed its flight tests in April 2022 and was accepted for service the same month. It has a flight duration of 24 hours, a maximum operating radius of 2,500 km, a 21 m wingspan, a maximum speed of 340 km/h, and is capable of carrying 13 bombs and 500 kg of electronic equipment.
Reader's Guide
The Shahed 149 Gaza represents a significant step in Iran's unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities, being the first Iranian UAV powered by a turboprop engine. Its design and role are compared to the American MQ-9 Reaper, and it is claimed to be more capable than the earlier Shahed 129, which was similar to the MQ-1 Predator. The drone's naming after the Gaza Strip during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis underscores its political and symbolic context, as it was named in honor of the Palestinians' struggle against Israel. Delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force in 2022, the Gaza drone entered service after passing flight tests in April 2022. Its specifications—including a 24-hour flight duration, a 2,500 km operating radius, and the ability to carry 13 bombs and 500 kg of electronic equipment—position it as a long-endurance combat platform. The drone's development was first publicly hinted at in February 2020 via a social media post by a Tasnim News reporter, and it was formally unveiled in May 2021.
Did You Know?
- The Shahed 149 Gaza is the first Iranian UAV powered by a turboprop engine.
- The drone has a wingspan of 21 meters and a maximum speed of 340 km/h.
- It was delivered to the IRGC Aerospace Force in 2022 after passing flight tests in April 2022.
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