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UAV · MALE reconnaissance/combat UAV (UCAV)

Shahed 129

Shahed Aviation Industries / HESA · Iran

Iranian single-engine MALE UAV for ISR and light strike, armed with up to four Sadid guided munitions. Wingspan ~16 m, endurance up to 24 h, range exceeding 1,700 km. Used in Syria.

CountryIran
SubcategoryFixed-wing
SubtypeMALE reconnaissance/combat UAV (UCAV)
RoleISR / strike
ClassMALE UCAV
ClassificationMALE UCAV
MissionISR, reconnaissance, strike
DatalinkLine-of-sight datalink (~200-400 km)
VariantsShahed 129
MTOW (kg)1500
OperatorsIran (IRGC, Army)
Frame typeFixed-wing
Length (m)8
PropulsionSingle piston engine (Rotax 914 / Iranian copy), pusher
Range (km)1700
Wingspan (m)16
Combat-provenYes
Export statusLimited (reported transfers)
Launch methodrunway
Autonomy levelRemotely piloted
Endurance (min)1440
Recovery methodrunway
Year introduced2012
Max payload (kg)400
Max speed (km/h)150
Standard sensorsEO/IR turret, SAR (claimed)
Production statusIn service / production
Combat radius (km)400
Notable engagementsStrikes in Syria; 2017 shootdown by US F-15E over Syria
Service ceiling (m)7300
Conflicts deployed inSyrian civil war
Airframe / lift typeFixed-wing
Control / autonomy levelRC line-of-sight – VLOS
DomainAerial (UAV/UAS)
Mission / use case – militaryArmed UCAV, ISR
Origin / supply chainMilitary-grade
PropulsionICE – petrol
Range / enduranceLong range (>650 km)
Signature / detectabilityRCS – large, RF-emitting
Speed regimeHigh (150–400 km/h)
Strike depth / operational roleRecon-strike complex (ISR + strike paired, e.g. Mavic + FPV, Orlan + Lancet)
Threat vectorSurveillance / reconnaissance
Weight / classClass III – Strike / Combat (>600 kg), FAA >25 kg (Part 137 / waiver)

In the news 5

From uav360.xyz, the xSonomy news feed. Headlines link to the original publisher.
Shahed 129
Mehdi Bakhtiari · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Review-stage catalogue data — specs corroborated from manufacturer and secondary sources; not for procurement decisions.