Shahed-136
Iranian one-way attack drone used by Russia in Ukraine and by Iran against Gulf targets.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026 · Appears in 3 active topics
Russia built it, Iran fires it: has the Shahed-136 merged two wars into one?
Latest on Shahed-136
- What is the Shahed-136?
- The Shahed-136 is an Iranian one-way attack drone (loitering munition) built by Shahed Aviation Industries. It has a range of roughly 2,500 km and costs $20,000-50,000 per unit. Russia has deployed it in Ukraine since October 2022 under the name Geran-2; Iran used it extensively against Gulf targets from February 2026.Source: Foundation for Defense of Democracies
- How much does a Shahed-136 cost?
- Each Shahed-136 costs an estimated $20,000-50,000. The US counter-drone Merops interceptor costs $14,000-15,000 per unit, making interception cheaper than the attacker for the first time in modern air defence. Gulf States also bought Ukrainian $1,000 counter-drones specifically to reduce the cost asymmetry.Source: US Army diversion order
- How do air defences intercept Shahed drones?
- Saudi Arabia and the UAE used Patriot and Hawk missile batteries, shooting down 47 Shaheds in 24 hours during March 2026. Ukraine pioneered cheaper methods: purpose-built $1,000 kamikaze interceptor drones and dedicated counter-drone crews now deployed across the Gulf. The US also diverted 10,000 Merops AI interceptors from Ukraine to the Middle East for the same mission.Source: Ukrainian General Staff
- What is the difference between the Shahed-136 and the Lancet drone?
- Both are loitering munitions, but the Shahed-136 is an Iranian design used for long-range area strikes at up to 2,500 km range; the Lancet is a Russian-designed precision loitering munition optimised for shorter-range anti-armour and artillery targeting. Russia uses both in Ukraine; only the Shahed is deployed by Iran in the Gulf.
- Is Russia supplying Iran with Shahed drones?
- Zelenskyy alleged in March 2026 that Russia is shipping Alabuga-manufactured Shaheds back to Iran, reversing the original Iran-to-Russia technology transfer. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies corroborated that Russia is providing Iran with both Shahed drones and satellite guidance for strikes, implicating Russian oil-sanctions revenue in the supply chain.Source: CNN / Zelenskyy
Background
The Shahed-136 is an Iranian-designed loitering munition built by Shahed Aviation Industries, first revealed publicly in 2021. Its delta-wing frame, distinctive two-stroke engine, and unit cost of $20,000-50,000 made it a defining weapon of modern attritional warfare. Russia began deploying it in Ukraine from October 2022 under the name Geran-2, later licensing production to its Alabuga facility in Tatarstan to sustain the volumes required.
When Iran launched Operation True Promise 4 in February 2026, the Shahed-136 became the primary instrument against US military installations and Gulf state oil infrastructure. The US Army diverted 10,000 Merops AI interceptors to the Middle East to counter the threat, redirecting supply originally destined for Ukraine. By March 2026 the IRGC was launching up to three Shahed waves per day against Saudi and Emirati targets.
The drone's strategic tension lies in its supply chain: Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged that Russia was shipping Alabuga-manufactured Shaheds back to Iran, reversing the original technology-transfer direction. The weapon that cost Russia its drone-warfare independence now implicates Russian oil revenue in strikes on American forces, putting the two conflicts on a single supply line.
