Iran's Ashura University of Aerospace Sciences and Technologies has publicly introduced its new jet-powered strike drone, the Shahed-238. Images of the new drone were released by official Iranian media on November 20, 2023.
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The exhibition featured a jet-powered modification of the Shahed-136, named Shahed-238, available in three versions with different guidance system (Picture source: video footage from Iranian Media)
The unveiling took place during the visit of the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, to the university in Tehran, where the latest aerospace achievements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were revealed.
The exhibition featured a jet-powered modification of the Shahed-136, named Shahed-238, available in three versions with different guidance systems. In addition to the standard model with an autonomous guidance system based on inertial navigation and GPS signals (middle version), variants with infrared/optical and presumably radar guidance systems were also displayed.
The version with the infrared/optical guidance system is designed to strike heat-contrast targets, especially crucial military equipment in the enemy's rear.
The drone with its radar guidance head could serve as an analogy to anti-radar missiles that target emissions from search radars. This capability might be effective in neutralizing and breaching enemy air defense systems.
The fuselages of all three drones are unusually black for Iranian UAVs, suggesting the use of radar-absorbing materials, although there is no official confirmation yet. It's noteworthy that these drones have undergone design modifications compared to the recently displayed prototype, in which the optical station was mounted under the fuselage at the front.
However, the technical specifications of the Shahed-238 remain unknown. Its jet engine is expected to provide high speed but at the cost of a reduced flight range. During the prototype demonstration, a launch from a moving vehicle was shown. However, like its predecessor, the Shahed-136, the drone is expected to retain the capability of being launched from a stationary platform using a solid-fuel booster.
The earlier prototype with an optical guidance station was manually operated by a controller, limiting its range and requiring relay stations near the target. However, the newly presented versions of the drones, with their guidance heads, appear to be capable of autonomously navigating to their targets.
