TEHRAN – Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force has revealed its latest technological achievement, the Shahed-149 "Gaza" drone, during an expansive military exercise known as Great Prophet Authority.

The Shahed-149 “Gaza” stands out with its impressive 21-meter wingspan and a payload capacity of 500 kilograms, allowing it to carry a variety of advanced munitions, including precision-guided bombs and surveillance equipment. The drone’s capabilities include a cruising speed of 215 km/h, an impressive flight endurance of up to 35 hours, and the ability to reach altitudes of 10,668 meters (35,000 feet), making it highly suited for both reconnaissance and strike missions.

Its operational range spans 4,000 kilometers, and it can strike targets within a 1,000-kilometer radius. With the ability to operate at high speeds, the Shahed-149 is poised for swift response in strategic military operations. 

Equipped with the Sadid-345 precision-guided glide bombs, the Gaza drone is capable of carrying out highly accurate strikes on both stationary and moving targets. The bombs feature GPS-assisted navigation and electro-optical guidance systems, ensuring precision with a margin of error between 2.5 and 5 meters. The Sadid-345 bombs are designed with a warhead containing H6 explosives, optimized for anti-armor and anti-personnel operations, creating a lethal blast radius of 30 meters upon detonation.

In a successful demonstration of its capabilities, the IRGC Aerospace Force used the Gaza drone to precisely destroy eight targets during the exercise, marking the first operational use of the drone in a military context.

Additionally, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the IRGC Navy, shared that during the ongoing naval drills in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s domestically developed drones successfully launched AI-powered missiles, showcasing the growing sophistication of Iran’s military technology.