MilitaryShahed-136 Loitering Munition
UAV / Droneconfirmed
The Shahed-136 (NATO: Geranium-2) is an Iranian one-way attack drone (loitering munition). Despite its relatively small warhead, it caused significant damage due to mass swarm employment. Cheap to produce, it overwhelms air defenses through quantity. Fitted with a piston engine for long range.
Specifications
| Type | UAV / Drone |
| Origin | Iran |
| Manufacturer | IRGC Aerospace Force (Iran) |
| Introduced | 2021 |
| Status | In service |
| Payload | 40 |
| Range | 2,500 |
| Weight | 200 |
| Speed | 185 |
History
Iran supplied Shahed-136s to Russia in 2022, which used them extensively against Ukrainian infrastructure. The drone gained global notoriety for its effectiveness and low cost. Russia has begun licensed domestic production as "Geranium-2." Also used by Houthi forces against Saudi Arabia and by Iranian proxies in the region.
Operators
Text adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo from Wikimedia Commons; see the Wikipedia article for author and license.
