News / Defense

Iran Air Force unveils first domestically-built wide-body drone

Thursday, 31 January 2019 2:05 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 31 January 2019 2:20 PM ]

Iran-made Khodkar drone is put on display at an air defense exhibition in Tehran, January 31, 2019. (Photo by Tasmin)

The Iranian Air Force has unveiled its first wide-body unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which is fully designed and manufactured at home, as the country prepares for celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The drone, dubbed Khodkar (Automatic), was showcased at an air defense exhibition in Tehran on Thursday.

The UAV -- an upgraded version of T-33 training aircraft -- is equipped with two cameras; one located beneath the fuselage to contribute to the take-off and landing phases and another on the front side to provide an alternative cockpit view.

Khodkar is a wide-body drone designed and built by Iranian experts.

The drone also features receiver GPS and GLONASS antennas, data transmitter antennas besides phased array ones.

Khodkar, which uses a turbojet J85 engine, is also capable of recording data and could be employed in surveillance and combat missions. It was among a number of other fighter jets put on display at the exhibition.

The exhibition will be open to public until February 11, which marks the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which toppled the former US-backed Pahlavi regime.

Iranian Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi delivers a speech at an air defense exhibition in Tehran, January 31, 2019. (Photo by Fars)

Speaking at the exhibition's opening ceremony, Iranian Army Commander General Abdolrahim Mousavi hailed the country's achievements in the air defense sector over the past four decades.

"The Iranian nation put up 40 years of resistance and successfully moved on from sanctions," he said.

The senior military official also said Iran's defense equipment serves not only combat missions, but also rescue and search operations when natural disasters hit.

The Iranian Armed Forces also unveiled new military hardware, including drones and missiles, on Wednesday during another exhibition called Eqtedar 40, held at Imam Khomeini Grand Prayer Grounds in Tehran.