Mohajer-4

The Mohajer-4 is a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed by the Qods Aviation Industry Company for the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). It entered service in late 1997, with mass production possibly beginning in 1999, and was first documented in 2003. Production estimates range from 34 units by the mid-2000s to 40 units by 2006.

Design

Constructed of composite materials, the Mohajer-4 has a modular design with a 3.64 m length and a 5.3 m wingspan. It features a squarish fuselage, low-mounted trapezoidal wings with upward-canted wingtips, and three landing skids. Propulsion is provided by a 50 hp Limbach L550E two-bladed, four-cylinder, two-stroke pusher engine. The UAV has a maximum takeoff weight of 175 kg, an operational range of 150 km, a service ceiling of 18,000 feet, and an endurance of 7 hours. Avionics include the Hyarat 3 guidance and control system with GPS navigation. It carries a fixed forward-facing navigation camera and either a downward-facing survey camera or a gimbal-mounted video camera, supported by an onboard digital processor for real-time imagery downlink. It is reportedly capable of being fitted for communications relay and electronic warfare. A crew of five to seven operates the system, using FliteMap software to control flight paths. For armament, the aircraft can carry two underwing Hydra 70 unguided rockets.

Operational History

In Iranian service, the Mohajer-4 is deployed for surveillance, border patrol, and drug interdiction. It is stationed at Konorak Air Base and Bandar Jask. Internationally, Iran reportedly sold eight units to Hezbollah, which operated a flight over northern Israel in 2004. The Syrian Army has deployed the Mohajer-4 during the Syrian civil war, where the Turkish Air Force shot one down in 2015. Units have also been downed over Iraq and Islamic State-held territories.

Variants

• Shahin: A variant with unknown technical differences, or the designation used for the Mohajer-4 in Iranian Army Ground Force service.

• Hodhod A/100: A sub-variant of the Mohajer-4 with unknown physical or performance differences.

• Mohajer-4B: Also designated Sadiq, this late-2014 variant features straight high-mounted wings, twin tailbooms, and an expanded payload bay capable of carrying both an IR/EO gimbal sensor and a downward camera simultaneously.

• Sadegh-1: Also known as the QOM-1, this variant is a Mohajer-4B modified with two wing-pylon-mounted MANPADS.