The Iranian homegrown "Gaza" or Shahed-149 multirole drone garnered the attention of both military officials and Western and Israeli media outlets after The Wall Street Journal published a report on the aircraft. 

Shahed-149 was seen in a display at a Qatari arm sales expo earlier this month, standing out from among a flurry of Iranian-produced weapons due to its range and ability to up to 13 missiles per flight. 

The "Gaza" drone, named in homage to the Gaza Strip, has a range of 2,000 km and can carry multiple precision-guided munitions, as well as bombs to be used in offensive or defensive situations. Specifically, its attack capabilities and long-range sparked worries among Israeli media outlets, such as The Jerusalem Post and i24 News since the range corresponds to the distance between Iranian territories and major Israeli settlements and cities in occupied Palestine. The "Gaza" drone is, therefore, added to a wide array of weaponry that is capable of striking Israeli positions with impeccable precision, heightening the fears of both officials and settlers. 

Shahed-149 or Gaza drone specifications

In essence, the drone is a reverse-engineered model of the infamous American MQ-9 Reaper drone, which has been downed on multiple occasions by several actors of the Axis of Resistance. 

Similar to the MQ-9 drone, the Shahed-149 has a wingspan of 21m, can carry a maximum load of 1,500 kg, and is powered by a turboprop aircraft engine. The "Gaza" drone can cruise at 340 km/hr, with a maximum combat range of 2,000 km and a reproed flight period of 24 hours. 

Although its altitude ceiling is lower than the MQ-9 Reaper, the Shahed-149 can reach an altitude of 35,000 feet and is paired with advanced avionics systems. 

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This includes electro-optical/infrared sensors, a day-vision camera, a thermal imager camera, a laser rangefinder, satellite comms, and other equipment that award the aircraft both reconnaissance or inelegance gathering capabilities and the ability to strike multiple targets in a single flight. 

If paired with Iran's locally-produced air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles, Shahed-149 would be capable of targeting ground, aerial, and naval assets.

Reverse engineering Western tech at lower prices

The Islamic Republic of Iran's defense industry has been marked by the ability to reverse engineer top-of-the-line foreign hardware, weapons, and systems at lower costs due to a flurry of economic and financial factors. This includes the fact that the industry is mainly associated with public institutions and that key components are produced locally.

Avoiding the perils of the private military-industrial complex allows Iran to make steadfast advancements in terms of research and development and procure a large number of advanced weaponry. 

One senior Sudanese official, when comparing the Iranian "Gaza" drone to its international competitors, said, "The quality is mediocre, but it's half the price."

"I'm very impressed with their medium-range missile technologies," a senior Qatari Air Force officer told WSJ.

Irans rakes in defense sales

However, Iran's homegrown arsenal also includes ingenious technology and systems, such as the Ababil IV and V drones, which are multirole drones with lower specification when compared to the "Gaza" drone but battle-tested to be effective for their purposes.

The Shahed line of drones also includes infamous loitering ammunitions and one-way-attack drones, such as the Shahed-136 and the Shahed-101 drones that have seen extensive coverage due to their alleged use in Ukraine, Yemen, and Iraq. In October, international restrictions on the sales of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones expired in October 2023, as the Iranian Ministry of Defense works on promoting its highly-prized products in international expos. 

In a yearly report, the Iranian Minister of Defense, Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani, explained, "The export of defense products has also increased by about four to five times compared to the last two years, and it will increase in the future following innovations that are being made and the weapons that we are seeking to manufacture."

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