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Iran HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company)
Shahed-131
A smaller, shorter-range predecessor to the Shahed-136 delta-wing loitering munition, also mass-produced for one-way attack strikes. Russian-built copies, designated Geran-1, have supplemented the larger Geran-2 in strikes on Ukraine, though production and cost figures remain disputed public estimates.
In service since 2019 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
180
km/h
900
km range
4,000
m ceiling
Pricing: Widely cited public estimate; disputed and unverified
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Sanctioned origin
Under multilateral sanctions; acquisition carries severe legal/financial exposure for most buyers.
Channel: State channel
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 2019. 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.
- 180 km/h Stronger than 29% of UAVs
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 150 km/h Stronger than 54% of UAVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 900 km Stronger than 57% of UAVs
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 4,000 m Stronger than 13% of UAVs
- Endurance
Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms — higher means longer persistent coverage.
- 6 h Stronger than 38% of UAVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 15 kg Stronger than 64% of UAVs
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 2.5 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 2 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 135 kg
- 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.
- Piston engine
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Piston, pusher propeller
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- Electro-optical seeker (some variants)
- Datalink
Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.
- GPS/GLONASS satellite navigation
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 3 Stronger than 47% of UAVs
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.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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Turkish Aerospace Industries ANKA-S Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 has a maximum speed of 180 km/h.
What is the range of the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 has a maximum range of 900 km.
How much does the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 weigh? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 has a combat weight of 135 kg.
How many crew does the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 require? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 requires a crew of 0.
What engine does the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 use? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 is powered by the Piston engine.
What is the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 used for? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 is a uav / drone typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131? +
The HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131 cost? +
HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) Shahed-131: Widely cited public estimate; disputed and unverified. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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