Upgraded unmanned aerial vehicles predicted to be faster but potentially with shorter range than predecessors
Iran has unveiled a new jet-powered version of the Shahed drone that Russia has used to attack Ukraine in the past year that promises to fly much faster than its predecessor.
The new version of the kamikaze drone, featured in the trailer of a documentary on state TV this week, features a jet engine instead of the piston engine and propeller of the original aircraft.
While many of the Shahed-136 drones used by Russia are shot down, exhausting Ukrainian air defences, they have caused devastation in Ukraine – often being used to target civilian infrastructure.
Experts believe that the new Shahed will fly significantly faster, making it more difficult to intercept, though a drawback could be a shorter range because of the amount of fuel it will consume.