WeaponSpecs
UAV / drone Iran flagIran

HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company)

Shahed-238 (Geran-3)

A turbojet-powered evolution of the Shahed-136/Geran-2 airframe, first shown publicly in late 2023 and fielded in small numbers by Russia as Geran-3 from 2024. The jet engine trades fuel volume for much higher speed, and its top-speed and production figures remain disputed, ranging from Iranian claims of roughly 500 km/h to Russian claims near 800 km/h in a dive.

In service since 2023

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

Several performance figures for Iran-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost and production figures not publicly disclosed; Russian-produced examples first confirmed in Ukraine mid-2025, small-scale production, disputed/unverified performance claims

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Sanctioned origin

Under multilateral sanctions; acquisition carries severe legal/financial exposure for most buyers.

Channel: State channel

Fielded & proven

Operator data not public

In service since 2023. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed

Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.

600 km/h
Stronger than 88% of UAVs

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Crew

Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.

0

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine

Powerplant model and type.

Toloue-10/Toloue-13 micro-turbojet (Iranian-claimed); PBS TJ150-derived turbojet found in recovered wreckage
Propulsion type

Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…

Turbojet

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors

IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.

GPS/GLONASS inertial navigation (basic variant), Electro-optical/infrared seeker (heat-seeking variant), Radar-detection seeker (anti-radar variant)

Specifications compiled from public HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3)? +

The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) has a maximum speed of 600 km/h.

How many crew does the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) require? +

The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) requires a crew of 0.

What engine does the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) use? +

The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) is powered by the Toloue-10/Toloue-13 micro-turbojet (Iranian-claimed); PBS TJ150-derived turbojet found in recovered wreckage.

What is the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) used for? +

The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) is a uav / drone typically used for deep strike.

How much does the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3) cost? +

HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-238 (Geran-3): Unit cost and production figures not publicly disclosed; Russian-produced examples first confirmed in Ukraine mid-2025, small-scale production, disputed/unverified performance claims. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.

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