Iran Unveils New Naval Drone “Simorgh”

By Staff, Agencies

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Navy unveiled a homegrown combat drone on Saturday.

The unmanned aerial vehicle, dubbed Simorgh [Phoenix], was unveiled at a ceremony in the southeastern coastal city of Konarak, attended by Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi.

With a flight endurance of 24 hours, the drone can be used for combat, reconnaissance, and tactical operations, and electronic warfare.

Simorgh has a range of 1,500 kilometers and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet. It is the naval version of Shahed-129, a powerful combat drone that was mass-produced in 2013.

Shahed-129 is now in service in the fight against drug-traffickers and terrorists, patrol and reconnaissance missions along the territorial and sea borders, environmental operations, and for taking aerial images.

The combat version of Shahed-129 can carry a payload of 8 bombs or smart missiles and is designed to hit both fixed and mobile targets.