Iranian officials on Sunday unveiled a new high-speed “advanced combat drone” that they say is capable of conducting operations far outside the nation’s borders.
The drone, dubbed “Kian,” is specifically designed to reach distant targets, Iran’s military leaders boasted.
“The combat and defensive Kian drone has been designed in two types and with the capability of flying at high speed for missions which need tracing, reconnaissance, high flight durability and pin-pointing power,” said Gen. Alireza Sabahi Fard, commander of the Iranian army’s Khatam ol-Anbiya Air Defense Base, as quoted by the country’s Fars News Agency.
“The unmanned flying object, with high flight durability, can attack targets much farther from Iran’s borders and defend the country in enemy’s soil,” he said.
The craft, Fars reported, has “considerable flight durability up to 24 hours and capability to carry rockets with high-precision power for day and night missions are among other features of the drone.”
The release of Iran’s new drone — and its ability to strike targets far beyond the nation’s borders — could be seen as a warning to Israel.
Last Sunday, Israeli military officials said they thwarted a “killer drone” attack that Iran’s Quds Forces intended to launch from an air base inside Syria. Israeli officials said Iran had moved multiple drones to the base, though it’s unclear whether the craft were the same type as the drone publicly unveiled Sunday inside Iran.
Iran’s increasing drone capabilities are a serious concern for the U.S. and its allies. Amid rising tensions in the region, the U.S. in July shot down an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and its proxy groups also have shot down several American drones in recent months.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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