Iran asked Russia for jet “Shaheeds” for war against the US and Israel
фото: іранські ЗМІ
Iran has asked Russia to provide Geran jet drones for use in a war against the US and Israel. It is currently unknown whether Moscow has agreed to transfer such drones to Tehran.
This is reported by the Financial Times .
Iran’s request is confirmed by Western security officials and a source close to the Kremlin. The Russian “Gerani” is a modernized version of the Iranian Shahed attack drones, the production of which Russia launched in 2023. The new modifications differ from earlier versions in speed, flight range and capabilities to counter air defense systems.
According to journalists, in recent weeks Russia has been actively using Gerani jets against Ukraine. Their higher speed makes it difficult for Ukrainian air defense to detect and intercept the drones.
The fifth model of such a drone can reach speeds of up to 600 km/h, carry a warhead weighing up to 90 kg and cover a distance of about 1,000 km. The drones can also be equipped with thermal imaging cameras, guidance systems using artificial intelligence and means of protection against electronic warfare.
According to Yuriy Ignat, a representative of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian military intercepts about 60% of Russian jet drones. For older Shahed models, this figure is about 90–95%.
It is noted that the Gerani jets are more expensive and more complex to manufacture than previous models, but their cost remains lower than the price of cruise missiles, in particular the Calibers and the Kh-101.
The Russian defense industry continues to change the design of drones in accordance with the experience of their use on the battlefield and to introduce new technological solutions.
“They have focused all their efforts, resources, money, and talents on this single system. They are constantly improving it and testing it on the battlefield to bring this technology to perfection,” said Kateryna Bondar, a senior research fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Military analyst Konrad Muzyka noted that the characteristics of the new “Geraniums” are gradually blurring the traditional line between a drone and a cruise missile.
“Soon we will probably see these drones have stealth capabilities,” he said.
According to him, this could lead to higher costs in the production, procurement, and use of such drones, while at the same time making them more difficult to destroy.
It was previously reported that Russia has significantly increased the number of Shahed drones it is using to attack Ukraine . While about 1,500 such drones were recorded in July, in August their number had already exceeded 2,500.
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