In a report published on Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal said that different corporations in the United States, China, France and the UK are developing armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) modeled after Iran’s Shahed.
The United States and its allies are “competing to develop low-cost, long-range replica weapons,” it added.
The report also noted that models similar to the Shahed stood out among 18 types of US-made drone prototypes displayed at an event held by the US Department of War this summer.
Those models, it added, included LUCAS and Arrowhead made by SpectreWorks and Griffon Aerospace companies, respectively.
“The Shahed and its knockoffs have become so widespread that corporations such as Griffon and Sweden’s Saab are even selling target-practice UAVs resembling Iran’s munitions,” the report said.
The Shahed drone is among the world’s most advanced UAVs, possessing exceptional reconnaissance, surveillance, and operational capabilities while maintaining an extremely cost-effective price. It can disable an opponent’s air defense systems when deployed in large numbers.
Back in May, US President Donald Trump praised the efficiency and affordability of Iranian drones while criticizing the high costs associated with American weapons manufacturers.
He contrasted Iran’s production costs of “$35,000 to $40,000” with US manufacturers quoting $41 million for comparable models.
Iran’s massive and rapid progress in drone technology and its capabilities to carry out long-range strikes in drone warfare with a high level of accuracy have cemented the country’s growing military might in West Asia.
The cutting-edge drone program has been among the Iranian military’s breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous defensive equipment to make the armed forces self-sufficient in the face of years-long US threats and sanctions.
Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, which are entirely meant for defense.
MNA