Shahed 136 / Geran-2
The Shahed 136 is traditionally an Iranian manufactured Loitering munition drone,
currently the design has been adapted by Russia for the Russo-Ukrainian War.
This kamikaze Drone can linger in the sky for quite a while until it has found its target.
Kyiv reports that aproximately 3,700 of these drones have been used in the conflict so far.
It has been reported that Iran's navigation system, previously constructed from civilian components, has undergone an upgrade with the integration of a Russian-made flight control unit and microprocessors.
This modification involves the switch to Russia's GLONASS GNSS system from the previously used U.S. civilian-grade GPS, ostensibly enhancing the capability of its loitering munition.
The Warhead is approximately 40 kilograms and there have been reports of thermobearic Warheads found attached to the Drone.
Deployment / Motor
The Drone can be deployed easily from military or commercial trucks and has an
operational range of 2,500 km. It's maximum speed is around 185 km/h.
The MD-550 engine is a stolen design, and was reverse engineered by Iranians when they captured a
Limbach Flugmotoren L-550 aircraft engine of German manufacture in 2006. The Low cost of the engine and
its reproducibility make the Shahed 136 a viable alternative to cruise Missles which cost substantially more
to Manufacture.
According to a Russian Report the estimated cost of a Shahed Drone in 2023 will be approximetly 48.8 Thoasand Dollars.
Forbes estimates that one Russian Kh-101 cruise missile costs $13 million, a Kalibr cruise missile costs $ 6.5 million,and a Kinzhal ballistic missile costs $15 million.
Size / Behavior
The U.S. Army unclassified worldwide equipment guide states that the Shahed 136 design supports an aerial reconnaissance option, although no cameras were noted in the Geran-2 in Russian service.
The Shahed-136 is equipped with a variety of sensors, including a camera, a thermal imager, and a laser designator. It can also be fitted with a variety of weapons, including bombs, missiles, and rockets.
The Shahed-136 is believed to be used by the Iranian military for both surveillance and attack purposes. It has been used in a number of conflicts, including the Syrian Civil War, the Yemeni Civil War and Ukraine
