Iran Unveils Drone Similar to Russian Lancet

Iran has unveiled a new loitering munition, which is colloquially known as “suicide” or “kamikaze” drones, showcasing its mild resemblance to Russia’s Lancet drone, a military asset that has been in service since 2020 and has seen action in conflicts in Syria and Ukraine. The Iranian drone, currently without an official name, was revealed through a report by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the paramilitary force responsible for its development.

The report suggests that the new loitering munition, inspired by the Russian Lancet, likely boasts a flight endurance of 30 to 60 minutes and a payload capacity of 3 to 6 kilograms, with an operational range of 40 kilometers. While the drone is not an exact replica of the Lancet, it shares a similar design, suggesting comparable capabilities in terms of range and payload.

In the context of combat, Lancet drones have proven their effectiveness by targeting high-value assets such as Western-supplied Leopard tanks, howitzers, and even air defenses and fighter jets, often situated far from the frontlines in Ukraine. This success has underscored the Lancet’s lethality and the challenges it poses to countermeasures.

Despite the impressive performance of the Lancet, there is no clear indication that Iran’s interest in developing a similar drone stems from a desire to acquire the Lancet itself. Iran has a history of exporting drones to Russia without importing any Russian-made ones. Even before the deepening of technical and defense cooperation between Russia and Iran following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow had shown interest in Iran’s drone technology, rather than the other way around.

Since 2022, Iran has supplied Russia with thousands of Shahed 131 and Shahed 136 loitering munitions, even allowing Russia to locally assemble some of these drones in the Republic of Tatarstan. This cooperation has involved unique payment methods, including the exchange of gold bullion, and reports suggest that Russia has also provided Iran with captured American anti-tank and anti-air missiles for reverse-engineering purposes.

Despite these exchanges, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that Russia provided Iran with Lancet drones or the designs to manufacture them. The use of the word “inspired” in the report about the new Iranian drone’s development highlights the likelihood that it was an indigenous effort rather than a direct import or copy of Russian technology.

Defense and security analyst Farzin Nadimi, a Senior Fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, expressed skepticism about the direct influence of Russian technology on the new Iranian drone. He emphasized that Iran’s previous drone designs, such as the Shahed series, were based on technologies from other countries, including Israel, China, and Taiwan, indicating a history of reverse-engineering and indigenous development.

Nadimi also highlighted Hezbollah’s modifications of its drones to resemble the new Iranian drone, suggesting a wider trend of drone technology replication in conflict zones. Furthermore, speculation arises that the new Iranian drone might actually be based on an Israeli Hero-400 drone, potentially captured in previous confrontations between Iran and Israel.

Iran’s history of reverse-engineering foreign weapons systems, notably including the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel captured in 2011, indicates a capability to develop advanced drones through this process. Israel confirmed that Iran’s Shahed 171 Simorgh and Saegheh drones were based on its captured Sentinel.

Additionally, China and Turkey have also developed drones similar to Iran’s Shahed-series, with China unveiling the Sunflower 200 drone and Turkey showcasing the Azab drone. Both drones bear a striking resemblance to the Shahed-131, suggesting a trend of countries developing drones with similar capabilities.

The IRGC’s decision to develop a drone similar to the Lancet could be attributed to its observation of the Lancet’s design and performance, prompting efforts to build an Iranian drone with comparable capabilities. This approach aligns with the strategy adopted by China and Turkey in developing drones resembling Iran’s Shahed-series, suggesting a broader trend of technological emulation in the development of military drones.