Every nation wants to copy Iran’s deadly Shahed drone

Iran’s infamous Shahed drones have been used to devastating effect by Russia to strike Ukraine. Now the U.S. and its allies are racing to develop copycat versions of the low-cost, long-range weapon.

- Alistair Macclonald

For decades, advanced militaries used expensive missiles for precise attacks and cheaper artillery for mass bombardment. The war in Ukraine has shown that drones can be both cheap and precise, with Shaheds costing just tens of thousands of dollars apiece and able to fly more than 1,000 miles, by some estimates.

The Iranian-designed drone has proved particularly effective at overwhelming air defenses. Russia routinely launches scores of Shaheds, which explode on impact, at the same time. Missiles are sometimes fired alongside drone salvos, making it more likely they evade defenses.

The Ukraine war showed the importance of affordable, long-range drones, and that the West isn't where it needs to be, said Lt. Gen. André Steur, commander of the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force.

“If you do get into a war, you need deep, deep pockets,” Steur said.

Companies in the U.S., China, France, the U.K. and elsewhere are all working on their own unmanned aerial vehicles that seek to emulate the Shahed. Ukraine has been striking Russia with long-range drones for at least two years, and recently started using a UAV with triangular wings that looks just like a Shahed.

The West, though, is largely behind the curve and faces various challenges including higher costs, analysts say.

Iran began working on the Shahed in the early 2000s, following the development of similar long-range drones in Israel and South Africa. The UAV has since been used by Iran to strike Israel, as well as by Tehran’s proxies across the Middle East.