Iran has requested advanced jet-powered Geran drones from Russia, seeking to acquire modernized versions of weapons technology it originally supplied to Moscow. According to Western security officials and sources familiar with the matter, Tehran intends to utilize the systems in its ongoing conflicts involving Israel and the United States.
The Geran family evolved from Iranian Shahed designs after Russia established domestic production lines. While early variants relied on propeller engines and basic guidance, recent iterations such as the jet-powered Geran-5 exhibit cruise missile characteristics. Operating at speeds up to 600 kilometers per hour, the advanced platform carries a 90-kilogram warhead over a range of 1,000 kilometers and integrates thermal cameras alongside artificial intelligence-powered target-recognition systems, the Financial Times reported.
The scale of deployment has expanded significantly, with Ukrainian Air Force data indicating that Russian drone launches reached a record 2,800 in August alone. Analysts note that these developments highlight Moscow’s capacity to scale up advanced weapons production, successfully transforming low-cost loitering munitions into high-performance long-range strike assets that blur the line between traditional drones and cruise missiles.
