Iran: IRGC Unveils New Suicide Drone For Land Warfare

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has manufactured a new suicide drone that is expected to considerably boost the combat capabilities of its ground troops. 

The new suicide drone, whose name has not been yet publicized, is categorized as a loitering munition.

The Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle resembles the Russian-made ZALA Lancet drone.

The weapon is widely used for counter-ambush operations.

Equipped with electro-optical systems and a built-in warhead, a loitering munition is widely used in ground warfare. Such drones loiter around a specific area until a target is located.

Considering their small size, loitering munitions can be carried by the ground troops and be employed in various operations.

The IRGC Ground Force and the Iranian Defense Ministry have already developed Meraj-521 and Sina loitering munitions

The IRGC has made a big investment in the development of loitering munitions in recent years. A range of advanced suicide drones, such as Shahed-131 and Shahed-136, have been employed in various war games across Iran.

Assuming that the new loitering munition manufactured by the IRGC is inspired by the Russian-made Lancet, the drone must have a flight endurance of 30 to 60 minutes and carry a payload of 3 to 6 kilograms within a range of 40 kilometers.