HESA Shahed 131
Summary
| Category | Military Drones |
| Origin country | 🇮🇷 Iran |
| Manufacturer | HESA |
| Year introduced | 2022 |
| Average unit price | $0.0 million |
Technical specifications
| Version: Shahed 131 | |
|---|---|
| Operational range | 900 km (559 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 185 km/h (115 mph) |
| Wingspan | 2.2 m (7.2 ft) |
| Length | 2.6 m (8.5 ft) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 135 kg (298 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 1 x Serat-1 Wankel engine delivering 38 hp each |
Armament
Bombs payload:
- Guided Bomb 10-20 kg High-Explosive fragmentation warhead
- Guided Bomb Shaped charge anti-armor warhead
Description
The Shahed 131 is an Iranian-designed one-way attack drone manufactured by Shahed Aviation Industries. Design origins are linked to the Kentron ARD-10 loitering drone, the designs for which were sold to the Iran Aviation Industries Organization in 2004 or 2005. The aircraft is utilized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and has been exported to Russia, where it is designated as the Geran-1 and produced domestically at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone.
The airframe is a delta-wing design constructed from lightweight composite materials, such as carbon fiber cloth or fiberglass with a honeycomb core. This construction is intended to produce a low radar cross-section. The Shahed 131 is visually distinguished from the larger Shahed 136 by its vertical stabilizers, which extend only upwards from the wingtips. Propulsion is provided by a 38-horsepower Serat-1 Wankel engine, a copy of the Beijing Micropilot MDR-208 derived from the British AR 731.
The flight control unit is designed to connect with Iridium satellites, allowing for mid-flight path alterations. Primary navigation is provided by a commercial-grade GPS unit, with Russian versions featuring anti-deception algorithms to mitigate signal interference. A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope serves as a backup inertial navigation system.
The aircraft features a forward-mounted warhead compartment with a payload capacity of 10 to 20 kg. Munition types include high-explosive charges with pre-formed fragmentation casings for anti-personnel or infrastructure effects, as well as shaped charges for anti-armor roles. The drone operates as a kamikaze platform, detonating upon impact with its target.
The Shahed 131 entered prominent service during the Russo-Ukrainian war in October 2022, where Russian forces employed it against infrastructure and civilian targets. These drones are frequently deployed in swarms to overwhelm air defense networks. According to a British report to the United Nations, the Shahed 131 was utilized in the 2019 attack on the Aramco facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. Beyond Iran and Russia, operators include the Houthi rebels, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, and Saraya Ababil.
Main Variants
- Geran-1: The designation for the Shahed 131 in Russian military service.
- Geran-3: A simplified variant that replaces the Wankel engine with a DLE-60 twin gasoline engine.
- Murad-6: The designation applied to the Shahed 131 when operated by Saraya Ababil.