Iran Unveils Upgraded Shahed-149 ‘Gaza’ Drone

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has unveiled an upgraded  Shahid-149 ‘Gaza’ drone.

The upgrade to the high altitude long endurance (HALE) drone include a new hard point and an improved landing gear.

The upgraded ‘Gaza’ drone flew on Sunday at the Martyr Karimi Air Base in central city of Kashan, IRNA news agency reported.

Shahid-149 ‘Gaza,’ manufactured by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation, was unveiled in May 2021. It is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aircraft, capable of flying for over 35 hours and covering 7,000 kilometers on a single mission.

Iranian military relies on the aircraft for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, the report said. While it is claimed to have combat capabilities,  no details of the missiles it is armed with have been revealed.

The new hard-point could be to carry an external reconnaissance payload or even a missile.