Iran: world's first drone battalion is on alert

Alexander Sychev

Auxiliary ship Delvar, amphibious assault ship Lavan and even the submarine Tareq, which are part of the new division and equipped with drones, were shown in the neutral waters of the Indian Ocean.

Iranian state television reported that 50 drones are based on just one of these vessels. Among them are the Pelican-2, Homa-2, Arash, Chamroosh, Jubin, Ababil-4 and Bavar-5 drones produced by the Iranian defense industry. Little is known about their tactical and technical characteristics.

A Homa-2 UAV was launched from the Tareq submarine. The maximum takeoff weight is 260 kilograms. Chassis does not retract. The drone is launched by catapult or from the runway. The radius of action is 100 kilometers, the flight duration is 12 hours, the maximum speed is 100 kilometers per hour, the wingspan is 9.5 meters. According to some reports, the drone can carry missiles and bombs.

The Pelican-2 UAV is a maritime VTOL UAV. If necessary, it can float on the surface of the water. Pelican-2 was designed for patrol and reconnaissance missions. Four propeller-driven engines provide lift, while a fifth, more powerful pusher propeller allows horizontal movement.

Electro-optics is located in front and is protected by a transparent cap. The drone has two antennas. One is for control, the second serves as a channel for data transmission. The presence of five engines powered by batteries limits its combat capabilities in time. Used for reconnaissance and target designation.

The simplest and lightest of Iranian Chamroosh drones. It is launched by hand. The mass of the control station is about 30 kilograms. The drone can detect people at a distance of up to 4.5 kilometers, cars and military equipment - up to 8 kilometers. The average error in determining the coordinates is 50 meters.

The Arash kamikaze drone was first shown in 2020. It is capable of flying up to 2 thousand kilometers.

Ababil-4 was developed by Ghods Aviation Industries and mass-produced by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries. The drone glider is built according to the "duck" scheme, has an elongated cigar-shaped fuselage. It is driven by an engine with a pusher propeller.

Depending on the Ababil model, it may have one or two rudders. In the first version, the keel is located on the fuselage, in the second - on the tips of the main wings. This is done to increase radar visibility and use as air targets.

The fuselage of some Ababil models is made of aluminum, in more modern versions composite materials are used. These drones are equipped with two types of engines with a capacity of 25 and 30 horsepower. The first models of the Ababil family were used mainly for observation. More modern ones can carry weapons weighing up to 40 kilograms. Thus, the Ababil-5 drone, shown in April of this year, carried six Almas anti-tank guided missiles and is suitable for delivering Ghaem-5 precision-guided munitions to targets.

The drone's orientation system is based on GPS, which allows it to fly along a predetermined route and return to the ground control station. Landing is carried out using a parachute.

The mass of the drone is 82 kilograms, the wingspan is 2.9 meters, the cruising speed is 290 kilometers per hour, and the flight duration is 90 minutes. During this time, the drone manages to fly up to 250 kilometers. The UAV is launched from the rails using rocket boosters or compressed air.

The large Bavar-5 and Jubin drones, new items in Iran's unmanned arsenal, have a delta wing. They are able to cover fairly long distances, carry weapons, search for enemy air defense radars and destroy them. They can stay in the air for up to 24 hours. The flight range reaches 2 thousand kilometers, and the practical ceiling is almost five kilometers.

There are persistent rumors in the world media that Iran is ready to sell some of these drones to Russia.