IRGC developing new kamikaze drone armed with smart munitions

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is developing a new indigenous kamikaze drone armed with smart munitions, which is expected to significantly increase the combat capabilities of its forces.

The new homegrown achievement, whose name has not yet been revealed, is to be widely used for counter-ambush operations, Iranian media outlets reported on Sunday.

The Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is said to bear similarities to the Russian-built ZALA Lancet kamikaze drone.

A kamikaze drone is equipped with a built-in warhead that is typically designed to loiter around a target area until a target is located, then attack the target by crashing into it.

Smart munitions enable faster reaction times against hidden targets that emerge for short periods without placing high-value platforms near the target area and also allow more selective targeting as the attack can be changed mid-flight or aborted.

The IRGC Ground Force and the Iranian Defense Ministry have already developed Meraj-521 and Sina drones.

Iranian military experts and engineers have in recent years made remarkable breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.

Iranian officials have underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense and deterrence, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has on several occasions called for efforts to boost Iran’s defense capabilities.