UAV / UCAV - Drohnen

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Explainer: What makes Iran’s loitering ‘358’ surface-to-air missile a military asset?
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In September last year, Russia’s then-defense minister Sergei Shoigu visited Tehran and held bilateral meetings and discussions with senior Iranian military officials. On the sidelines of his trip, he also visited an exhibition of Iran’s defense achievements organized by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). At the exhibition, Shoigu and his delegation saw the ‘358’ loitering missile on display, as part of IRGC’s drone and air defense accomplishments.

This dual-use missile, which can function as both a loitering missile and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), was officially unveiled for the first time at that time. It joined the arsenal of Iranian armed forces in 2019 but was not unveiled publicly until last year.
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After launch, the booster detaches, and a gas turbine engine takes over for the remainder of the flight. The missile can operate at altitudes up to 28,000 feet but is primarily designed to target low-altitude drones. It can loiter in a figure-eight pattern until its optic sensors locate a target.

The missile uses an optical proximity fuse and an infrared seeker for guidance. It can detonate its warhead upon approaching the target using embedded infrared technology. Unlike typical surface-to-air missiles, the 358 is designed to fly at low speed to a designated location, where it can loiter until its fuel is depleted. It flies in a figure-eight pattern while searching for targets.

https://www.theinteldrop.org/2024/10/21/...ary-asset/

Das 358 System wurde bereits für den Abschuss von UAV wie Wing Loong, Predator, Reaper, Hermes 450 und Hermes 900 eingesetzt.