Iran’s reusable MALE combat UAV family, first flown in 2012 and subsequently armed with small air-launched munitions for persistent combat-ISR missions.
Development
Shahed 129 was developed by Shahed Aviation Industries Group in Iran as a armed-reconnaissance aircraft. The family first flew in 2012. Its recorded airframe configuration is fixed wing, with the family classified in the archive as core combat-aircraft scope.
Operational History
Operationally, Shahed 129 is represented primarily in the armed-reconnaissance aircraft role. The sourced variant records include service with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force. The current structured record does not attach a specific conflict authority to this family; operational context remains limited to sourced service and role data. Role tags attached to the family include battlefield interdiction.
Variants and Lineage
Major variants represented in the structured record include Shahed 129 production combat configuration and Simorgh naval derivative.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shahed 129 production combat configuration | Production | Armed Reconnaissance | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force |
| Simorgh naval derivative | Production | Armed Reconnaissance | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
Shahed 129 production combat configuration — C021 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 0
Powerplant: 1 × single piston engine; model not asserted
Armament: Combat-ISR configuration carries small guided air-launched munitions.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- UAVs: ISR, Deterrence and War — International Institute for Strategic Studies · Tier 3