OE Watch Commentary: On 3 February 2018 Iranian state news announced the development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) equipped with so-called “smart bombs.” According to the accompanying excerpt of an article from Kayhan News, an Iranian newspaper, Iran is expected to mass produce a series of its existing Mohajer-6 drones. Iran’s Minister of Defense Brigadier General Amir Hatami and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Force Commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, jointly announced this military-technical development as one of the most important in the Islamic Republic’s almost 40-year history.
According to the article, the Mohajer-6 is a tactical drone that is also capable of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. It can reportedly send information in real time and can remain in the air for a prolonged period. Additionally, the Mohajer-6 is shown in a test flight in the accompanying video stills from Fars News, another Iranian news media source, as a reporter explains its logistical capabilities. According to the video correspondent, the equipped “smart bomb” can identify its target from 12 kilometers away and take photos from as far as eight kilometers away. End OE Watch Commentary (Keshavarz and Bunker)