Last week Iran unveiled its latest UAS dubbed “Hamaseh”. This unmanned aircraft follows a classic twin-boom tail design, pioneered by IAI’s Scout and Tadiran Mastiff in the 1980s.
On the May 9, 2013 unveiling ceremony the aircraft was shown carrying two 107mm rockets and what seems to be an electronic payload – probably a radar. The Iranians say it can ‘avoid detection by the enemy thanks to its stealth features’, but based on visual impression of the aircraft shown in flight, the overall shape and non-stealth features such as the non retractable landing gear, wing strakes (beefing up the hard-points) would negate signature reduction to a level considered ‘stealthy’ by western standards. According to the Iranians, Hamaseh is designed for reconnaissance and combat missions.
Regardless of the maturity of the current Hamaseh, the design represents a new level of maturity for Iran’s UAS programme, which currently includes about 40 different types of UAS. Of these, about 30 are in different phases of production.
Another UAS unveiled in 2012 was Shahed 129 followed another Israeli design – the Hermes 450. In April 2013 Tehran unveiled four new programmes – Azem-2, Mohajer B, Hazem 3 and Sarir H110, dubbed as a ‘long-endurance UAS’. Sharir 110 was first shown on a march in Tehran, on April 10, 2013. As other recently unveiled Iranian designs, it follows the design of the Israeli Hunter (Developed by IAI), which has seen operational use with the US Army in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade.
H-110 Sarir is a twin-engine UAS designed for long endurance missions
The Sharir 110 is also configured with a twin-boom tail, and is powered by two propellers used in tractor-pusher configuration. It was also displayed carrying external weapons on wing pylons (two SA-7 class air/air missiles). Iran also claims that it is stealthy, but its design does not indicate any such attributes. It was displayed on the April 2012 Army Day military parade in Tehran. The aircraft follows the lines of the Israeli Hunter UAS.
Tehran is developing the operational techniques, tactics and procedures (TTP) for these unmanned systems in parallel to the continuous development of systems. Unmanned systems are integrated in all exercises, on both sides. Iran regularly trains its forces and air defences in counter-surveillance measures, and specific counter-UAS techniques.
These have culminated in the ‘abduction’ of an RQ-170 Sentinel operated from Afghanistan in 2011. The Sentinel was said to be on surveillance missions over east-central Iran when Tehran’s electronic warfare units claimed to have managed to deceive its navigation and command links, landing the aircraft undamaged in Iran. It is assumed that by reverse engineering some of the RQ-170 design features the Iranians could implement signature reduction capabilities, particularly in electromagnetic shielding, use of materials and the topology of elements, achieving a level of low observability in their newer drones. Nevertheless, the adaptation of overall stealth design, that requires complex manufacturing techniques, exotic materials and use of advanced aerodynamic control are probably beyond the scope of Iran’s current achievements, hence the lack of visible ‘stealth shaped’ UAS.
Since 2006 Iran also launched several surveillance missions over Israel, through its Hezbollah Lebanese proxy organization. In 2006 and 2011 Hezbollah used Ababil UAS on strike missions directed at Israel. In all occasions they were intercepted by Israel Air Force jet fighters.
Aware of the Ababil’s limited stealth capability, Iran is trying to reduce the detectability and signatures of its newer systems. On the more recent missions Iranian UAS achieved more impressive results; on one occasion, in October 2012 the new Shahed 129 managed to fly from Lebanon and conduct a reconnaissance mission over Southern Israel, for about 30 minutes before being intercepted. Iranian sources said it was not the first time they flew such missions over Israel, but did not present any proof for these claims. The Israelis have learned their lessons, on another mission launched in April 2013 an Iranian drone was intercepted long before approaching the Israeli coastline.
Source: Defense Update