An autonomous combat aerial vehicle based on the Karrar jet drone is being tested in Iran. Iranian media have published this information, claiming Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard as the source. Sabahifard is in charge of the air defence units for the Iranian army.
Iranian specialists could complete all the tests required for the new drone version, which had an integrated AD-08 anti-aircraft missile made locally. The newly developed drone is intended for use in the destruction of moving objects in the air.
The rocket launch method with a solid fuel booster was used to launch the drone, which was launched from a transportable launch platform.
The ground-based version of the AD-08 missile was officially exhibited as part of the Majid air defence system just a year ago. Alireza Sabahifard said the AD-08 missile was armed on the Karrar drone.
According to Sabahifard’s reporting, after more than a year and a half of research and testing, specialists made several adjustments to the Majid surface-to-air missile’s underlying technology, converting it into an air-based missile.
The missile was integrated into the drone, which was placed in a transport-launch container, indicating minimal changes to the drone’s design. Its air launch significantly increases the flight range compared to the “ground” version, extending it from 8 to 12-16 kilometres.
Because it is outfitted with a passive infrared guidance system, the missile can automatically lock onto a target without the assistance of a radar station. This gives the missile greater operational flexibility. On the other hand, the actual process of acquiring the target may be carried out by an operator using the drone’s onboard camera.
Iranian experts have been researching the possibility of unmanned interceptors for several years. It was revealed in January 2021 that they had conducted tests on incorporating the Azarakhsh surface-to-air missile into the Karrar UAV.
According to reports, the Beechcraft MQM-107 Streaker, a target drone developed in the United States in the 1970s, inspired the Karrar unmanned aerial vehicle.
Karrar was Iran’s first long-range UAV. It was presented to the public for the first time on August 23, 2010, and it was a long-range unmanned bomber.
Although it has a maximum flight range of 1000 kilometres and is equipped with a Toloue-4 turbojet engine, the strike version of the aircraft only has a range of 400 kilometres.
