Qods Saeghe
| Qods Saeghe | |
|---|---|
| |
| A Qods Saeghe at an Iranian wargame in 2006. | |
| Role | Target drone |
| National origin | Iran |
| Manufacturer | Qods Aviation, Tehran SSRC, Damascus |
| Design group | Qods Aviation |
| Status | In service, in production (2013)[1] |
| Primary user | Iranian Armed Forces |
The Qods Saeghe ("lightning bolt") is a simple Iranian recoverable target drone.[1]
Design
[edit]The Saeghe has low-mounted delta wings and a bullet-shaped fuselage. It has a sweptback wing rudder and no landing gear. Control surfaces are located on the horizontal stabilizers. The Saeghe is constructed entirely of composite.[1] It is powered by one 18.6 kW (25 hp) WAE-342 pusher engine in a pusher configuration.[1]
The Saeghe is launched via a small rocket from a short metal rail, called a JATO launch.[1] It is recovered by parachute over land or water (as a plastic drone, it floats) or by skidding on its belly over flat terrain.
Variants
[edit]It comes in two versions. The first one which only has radio command guidance system and the other one which has GPS guidance and IR emissions. Both versions are launched via a booster and are recovered by parachute.[2]
Saeghe-1
[edit]The Saeghe 1's flight path and maneuvers are controlled by simple radio command. This variant is also known as the N-Q-A 100.[1]
Saeghe-2
[edit]The Saeghe-2 has more advanced avionics, with tele-command and telemetry uplinks and downlinks between the drone and the ground control station.[1] The Saeghe 2 also has GPS navigation it can use to follow navigational points on autopilot beyond the line-of-sight of the operator.[1] The Saeghe-2 shares the same airframe as the Saeghe-1.[1]
The Saeghe 2 carries a gyrostabilized radar reflector and three IR flares.[1] It is controlled from a ground control station which can be carried in a small van.[1] The Saeghe 2 first flew in 2002.[3]
Operators
[edit]State operators
[edit]
Specifications (Saeghe-2)
[edit]Data from Jane's[1]
General characteristics
- Length: 2.81 m (9 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
- Height: .7 m (2 ft 4 in)
- Max takeoff weight: 60 kg (132 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × WAE-342 twin-cylinder piston engine
- Propellers: 2-bladed
Performance
- Maximum speed: 250 km/h (160 mph, 130 kn) in level flight
- Combat range: 50 km (31 mi, 27 nmi)
- Endurance: 45 min
- Service ceiling: 3,355 m (11,007 ft)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Martin Streetly, ed. (2014). Jane's All the World's Aircraft: Unmanned 2014–2015. London: IHS Jane's. p. 362. ISBN 978-0-7106-3096-4.
- ^ "Unmanned Vehicles Dec-Jan 2007 - Webmag". Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
- ^ Wright, Galen (5 February 2011). "The Arkenstone - ارکنستون: Saeqeh UAV". Archived from the original on 21 March 2012.
- ^ David Cenciotti (15 August 2012). "Syrian regime's drone workshop with Saeqeh UAVs (and evidence of Iranian support) captured by the rebels in Aleppo". The Aviationist. Retrieved 17 September 2024.