UK Intelligence on why Russia uses Iranian Mohajer-6 drones
Russia uses Iranian Mohajer-6 drones (Getty Images)
Russia is utilizing Iranian Mohajer-6 drones for reconnaissance over the Black Sea and for directing strikes along the coastline, according to the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom.
Mohajer-6 is an Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle supplied to Russia and spotted flying over the Black Sea and Crimea. Mohajer-6 is designed for reconnaissance, observation, target detection, but can also carry out air-to-ground attacks using guided free-fall munitions.
According to UK intelligence, the practical operational range of Mohajer-6 is limited by line of sight to ensure real-time control by the operator: approximately 200 km at an altitude of 3.3 km. This range can be extended by transferring control to another ground control station.
"The continued presence of the system in western Crimea is likely evidence of Russia trying to identify threats to Russian ports and vessels following recent Ukrainian successes. There is a realistic possibility its mission also includes supporting Russian targeting processes for the south-west Ukrainian coastline," the British Ministry of Defense writes.
Ukraine has shot down at least one Mohajer-6 on September 23, 2022, over the Black Sea, while Russia likely accidentally shot down a drone over Crimea on June 6, 2023, according to the briefing.
Mohajer drones
The Iranian reconnaissance-strike drones Mohajer-6, which Russia employs in the war against Ukraine, are made from components for domestic use. Therefore, the drones are significantly inferior to the counterparts of their competitors.
In August 2023, Iran announced the development of an enhanced drone named Mohajer-10 with flight endurance sufficient to reach the sworn enemy of the country, Israel.
It is claimed that the drone has a range of 2000 km and can fly for up to 24 hours. Its payload capacity can reach 300 kg, which is twice the payload capacity of the Mohajer-6 drone.
