Iran unveils indigenous stealth reconnaissance, combat drone

Iran has unveiled its latest indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a reconnaissance and combat drone dubbed Hamaseh.


Iran unveils a new indigenous stealth reconnaissance-combat drone dubbed Hamaseh on May 9, 2013.


The drone was unveiled on Thursday during a ceremony attended by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi.

“This drone has been built by defense industry experts and is simultaneously capable of surveillance, reconnaissance and missile and rocket attacks,” Vahidi said on the sidelines of the ceremony.

“This aircraft with its stealth quality can avoid detection by the enemy,” he added.

High altitude and long flight range are two other distinguishing features of the new Iranian UAV.

Iran has made important breakthroughs in its defense sector in recent years and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.

The new UAV looks like a smaller version of the Israeli’s IAI Heron TP MALE UAV based on its distictive satellite uplink bulge as well as the belly mounted radome.


IAI Heron TP


In August 2010, Iran unveiled its first indigenous long-range drone, Karrar, which is capable of carrying out bombing missions against ground targets, flying long distances at a high speed, and gathering information.


Karrar UCAV

Shahed 129, characterized by a 24-hour nonstop flight capability, was another indigenously produced drone introduced in September 2012.


The Shahed 129 MALE UAV

On December 17, 2012, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said Iran had launched the production line of the ScanEagle drones, adding that the IRGC naval and aerospace divisions were employing the UAVs.


The reverse engineered ScanEagle UAV

MRS/HMV

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