Drone attack (illustration)
Drone attack (illustration)iStock

Iran on Monday unveiled the Kaman-22, a new self-made UAV, with a range of more than 3,000 km and capable of reaching Israel. According to reports, the UAV is a multi-purpose vehicle with strategic capabilities. In addition, the aircraft is capable of flying up to an altitude of eight kilometers and has a flight duration of more than 24 hours.

The Iranian Fars news agency announced that the UAV was capable of carrying several types of cargo and four guided missiles, two non-guided bombs and additional ammunition. It was also reported that the UAV is similar to the American "Predator MQ-1" drone and its production is an upgrade to the Kaman-12 UAV that was first introduced in September 2020.

Meanwhile, Iran reports that the new UAV has new combat, optical and electronic systems. Iran began producing unmanned aircraft as early as 1984, and now has about 48 different models with advanced operational capabilities. The UAV fleet was built to compensate for the loss of air power of the Islamic Republic and to deal with Israel's air superiority, and senior officials in Israel have admitted that "the UAVs are challenging the country's air defense in terms of identifying and intercepting targets."