General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper vs HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-136
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper and HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-136 are both uav / drone, compared here on public specifications. The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper leads on max speed (480 vs 185 km/h). Several Iran-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
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Full data
Full spec sheet
 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper
Wins 5/8 |  HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-136
Wins 3/8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 480 km/h ✓ | 185 km/h |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 313 km/h ✓ | 160 km/h |
| Range (km) | 1,850 km | 2,500 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15,240 m ✓ | 4,000 m |
| Endurance (h) | 27 h ✓ | 12 h |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 7 | N/A |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 1,700 kg | N/A |
| Warhead (kg) | N/A | 40 kg |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 11 m | 3.5 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 2,223 kg | N/A |
| Combat weight (kg) | 4,760 kg | 200 kg |
| Crew | 0 | 0 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Engine power (hp) | 900 hp | N/A |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $32,000,000 | $50,000 ✓ |
| Units built | 350 | 10,000 ✓ |
| Operator countries | 15 ✓ | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper and HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-136? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 480 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-136 has the longest range at 2,500 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper carries the largest weapons payload at 1,700 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-136 has the lower public unit-cost figure at 50,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher endurance? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has the higher endurance at 27 h.
Which has the higher cruise speed? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has the higher cruise speed at 313 km/h.
Is the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper better than the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-136? +
On the public specs we track, the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper leads on 4 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
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