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
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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