Saegheh

The Shahed Saegheh is an Iranian Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) that emerged from the reverse-engineering of a U.S. Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel drone captured by Iran in 2011. Developed by Shahed Aviation Industries, the Saegheh, along with the larger Shahed 171 Simorgh, represents a significant Iranian effort in stealth drone technology. The aircraft was first officially revealed in October 2016, with its introduction into service occurring the same month, following a reported first flight in November 2014. By 2017, ten units were reported to be in production, with a stated goal of producing at least 50 by 2025 for use by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGC AF).

Design

The Saegheh is a flying wing design based on the RQ-170, but about 60% smaller. Propulsion methods vary, with turbofan/piston and propeller-driven models identified. Jet-powered variants feature a frontal air intake, while early models did not. The aircraft is launched from a specialized rack mounted on a vehicle and recovered using retractable landing skids, although a propeller variant uses fixed skids.

Armament

The drone is designed to carry a weapons payload, primarily the Sadid-1 precision-guided missile. The armament configuration depends on the variant. The early Saegheh-1 model was displayed with four Sadid-1 missiles carried externally, while the more advanced Saegheh-2 (also known as Shahed 191) is equipped with an internal weapons bay capable of holding two Sadid-1 missiles. A propeller-powered variant also utilizes external hardpoints for its munitions. The maximum payload capacity for the Shahed 191 is around 50 kg.

Operational History

The Saegheh UCAV has been deployed in combat situations. In October 2018, the IRGC Aerospace Force utilized drones, reportedly including the Saegheh, to attack targets in Syria, releasing video that purported to show a Saegheh deploying a single Sadid-1 bomb from its internal bay. Earlier, in February 2018, an Iranian Saegheh was shot down by Israel during a cross-border incident. An Israeli Air Force general subsequently described the drone as advanced and noted its design was an imitation of Western technology. The aircraft has also drawn international attention, with reports in 2022 that Russian officials visited Iran to examine attack-capable drones, including the Shahed-191.

Variants

• Saegheh-1: An early version revealed in 2016, designed to carry four Sadid-1 missiles externally and lacking an apparent targeting system.
• Saegheh-2: Also known as the Shahed 191, this jet-powered variant features an internal weapons bay for two Sadid-1 missiles and uses retractable landing skids.