Iran Emerges as a Drone Power: Shahed-238 and Its Advancements
Comparing Shahed-238 and Shahed-136: Speed, Range, and Interception Challenges
Iran’s recent airstrike on Israel, which involved over 300 drones and missiles, underscores the growing impact and strategic importance of drones in modern warfare. This development highlights an urgent need for South Korea to reassess its military defenses and enhance its countermeasures in preparation for a potential similar attack from North Korea.
Iran has emerged as a prominent drone power in the region, a fact further demonstrated by Russia’s use of Iranian-made drones in its conflict with Ukraine. The Iranian Shahed-238 kamikaze drone represents a significant advancement in drone technology. Unlike existing drones, this model features a jet engine in its modified version. Although it shares triangular wings with Israel’s Harpy kamikaze drone, the Shahed-238 does not rely on signal tracking like the Harpy. Instead, it targets specified GPS coordinates, akin to missile targeting methods.
The Shahed-238 gained international attention when showcased in a documentary trailer aired on Iranian television last September. This model, named Shahed-238 by Iran’s Ashura Aerospace Technology University, was introduced as a jet engine variant, contrasting with the existing Shahed-136, which uses a piston engine.
While the Shahed-136 cruises at 118 mph (190 km/h) and can be intercepted with machine guns if its flight path is known, the Shahed-238’s jet engine makes it significantly faster, complicating interception efforts. However, the high heat generated by the jet engine makes the Shahed-238 vulnerable to heat-seeking missiles, presenting a notable disadvantage.
New Guidance Systems: Infrared, Optical, and Radar Technologies in Shahed-238
The Shahed-238’s turbojet engine consumes more fuel than its predecessor’s piston engine, suggesting that it may have a shorter operational range than the Shahed-136.
Recent reports reveal that the Shahed-238 incorporates advanced guidance methods not present in the earlier model. While the standard Shahed-238 autonomously navigates using inertial navigation and GPS signals, new footage has unveiled two additional guidance systems: one utilizing infrared/optical sensors and another using radar.
The radar-guided variant can function similarly to anti-radar missiles, effectively targeting enemy radar emissions and potentially neutralizing air defense systems.
In contrast, according to Western assessments, the Shahed-136 has an operational range of approximately 1,180 miles (1,900 km). However, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed a range of 1,553 miles (2,500 km) during a May 2023 exhibition. The Shahed-136 weighs 440 lbs (200 kg) and carries a 110 lbs (50 kg) warhead. It is powered by a four-cylinder MD550 engine, achieving a cruising speed of 115 mph (185 km/h).
Analysts note that the Shahed-238’s black fuselages might indicate the use of radar-absorbing materials. Recently, Russia used black-painted Shahed-136 drones for nighttime attacks in Ukraine, although any direct link to the Shahed-238 remains unconfirmed.
The 358 Missile: A New Weapon for Drone Interception
Interestingly, alongside its advanced drone technology, Iran has developed a missile specifically designed to intercept them. Known as the “358,” this innovative weapon combines the capabilities of both drones and missiles, altering the strategic landscape in the Middle East. The 358, often referred to as the “drone-catching drone,” has gained traction among militant groups in the region.
The 358 missile is reportedly in use by major military organizations throughout the Middle East, including forces in Syria and Iraq, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and Hezbollah.
Distinctive in design, the 358 resembles a long cylindrical missile with several attached wings, giving it a hybrid appearance between a drone and a missile. It can remain airborne for extended periods, like a drone, despite being classified as a missile.
According to Business Insider, the 358 missile’s operational method diverges significantly from traditional missiles. Unlike conventional missiles that travel directly to their targets, the 358 hovers in a figure-eight pattern near the launch area, actively seeking and intercepting small drones or missiles within its range.
If the missile does not encounter a target, it continues to circle the area autonomously until its fuel is exhausted, persistently searching for potential drone threats. While it travels at slower speeds compared to ballistic missiles, its ability to intercept kamikaze drones, which are challenging to detect with radar, has earned it the nickname “drone-catching drone.”
Iran-North Korea Military Collaboration: Historical Context and Technology Transfer
Iran’s development of advanced weapon systems is closely linked to its longstanding technological collaboration with North Korea. Since the 1980s, North Korea and Iran have fostered a cooperative relationship in missile technology, sharing expertise and resources for over four decades.
A 2019 report by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) highlighted that Iran’s ballistic missile systems are closely connected to North Korean technology. The report detailed how Iran has funded North Korea’s development of Scud missiles since the 1980s, leading to the subsequent transfer of these missiles to Iran.
U.S. officials believe that Iran’s primary medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), the liquid-fueled “Shahab-3,” is essentially an enhanced version of North Korea’s Nodong missile. Additionally, they suspect that Iran’s “Khoramshahr” MRBM, developed since 2017, incorporates technology from North Korea’s Musudan missile program.
Recent speculation suggests that Iranian drone technology may have influenced North Korean drone designs. In December 2022, five North Korean drones breached airspace over Seoul, Gimpo, Paju, and Incheon, sparking theories that they might have utilized Iranian drone technology.
Ken Gause, a senior analyst at the U.S. Navy’s Center for Naval Analyses, observed that while North Korea has explored unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology since the 1990s, its recent strides in flight duration and evasion capabilities are unprecedented. He also suggested that it is highly likely North Korea has gained UAV technology or expertise from its longstanding defense technology partner, Iran.
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