A modernized version of Iran’s Shahed-136 kamikaze drone has appeared in official footage for the first time. The aircraft was filmed during a visit to one of Iran’s underground factories by Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Ali Abdollahi and acting Defense Minister Brigadier General Majid ibn Al-Reza. The footage was highlighted by the Telegram channel ImpNavigator.

The upgraded drone remains visually close to the original Shahed-136. It retains the triangular wing and tailless aerodynamic layout, but several previously unseen components have appeared on the airframe.

Two antennas can be seen in the nose section, while another new element is mounted on the left wing. The author suggests that the additions may be connected either to an updated control system or to equipment designed to improve the drone’s resistance to electronic interference.

Tehran says production of kamikaze drones has tripled since the beginning of the conflict with Israel and the United States.

The Shahed-136 is an Iranian-made loitering munition developed by HESA. One of its notable features is its propulsion system. The drone uses an Iranian-made 50-horsepower two-stroke engine that is effectively a copy of the German Limbach L550E, a design dating back to the late 1980s.

Its warhead weighs 50 kilograms. Nine kilograms account for the metal casing, while the remaining 41 kilograms consist of explosive material. Experts estimate that the destructive effect of the Shahed-136 is comparable to that of a FAB-100 aerial bomb.

The drone has a stated maximum range of up to 2,000 kilometers. It is launched from platforms disguised as ordinary cargo containers, with each launcher carrying five drones.