Can Russia acquire Shahed-101 and what is known about this drone: Explanation from Defense Express
Photo: Shahed-101 (wikimedia.org)
Russia may have acquired another model of long-range drone that could be used for strikes on Ukraine. This could be the Iranian Shahed-101, Defense Express reports.
According to the news agency, a photo of a downed enemy drone, visually resembling the Iranian Shahed-101, recently appeared on social media. Such a drone has been spotted in use by the Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Hezbollah group.
What is known about the Shahed-101
Earlier, media reported that Iran might have transferred an upgraded version of the Shahed-101 to Russia, labeled as Shahed-107. This drone is claimed to have a launch range of up to 1,500 kilometers. It is also said to have the capability to target Western rocket systems like the M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS.
Other sources remind that during the period when there were reports about the Shahed-107 being in Russia, there were also mentions that the Russian Alabuga program planned to produce such drones under the designation 101P.
According to Defense Express, three indicators suggest the use of the Shahed-101 by Russia:
- Flight range: up to 1,400 kilometers
- Operational range: up to 600 kilometers
- Video signal transmission range: up to 50 kilometers
However, it is worth noting that currently, the only evidence that Russia may have used the Shahed-101 is a photo available in the public domain. Yet, it remains unclear from the photo whether Russia has started mass production of this type of drone.
Characteristics of the Shahed-101
The Shahed-101's warhead weighs only 8 kilograms, making it more of an Iranian copy or competitor to Russia's Lancet drone. Currently, Russia may be evaluating which kamikaze drone model to focus on on the battlefield— the proven Lancet or the Shahed-101, also known as 101P.
It's important to consider reports from the Israeli research center ALMA, which states that the Shahed-101 in the Hezbollah configuration has a flight range of only up to 900 kilometers and is equipped with cameras for targeting guidance.
Earlier, it was reported that at the KADEX 2024 exhibition in the South Korean city of Daejeon, a mini version of the Iranian Shahed was presented under the name KUS-LM.
