The Shahed 238 is an Iranian turbojet powered loitering munition. It was shown in a November 2023 exhibition for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).^[1][2]

Overview

In September 2023, a trailer for an Iranian state TV documentary on Iranian drone development revealed the existence of a Shahed 136 version powered by a jet engine.^[3][4] The new drone was publicly unveiled in November 2023 during an aerospace achievement exhibition organized by the IRGC, which was attended by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Three models were displayed in a black color scheme, though whether this is a radar absorbent material or simply a paint scheme for night operations is unknown.^[5]

Compared to the propeller-driven Shahed-136 with a speed of around 180 km/h (110 mph), the Shahed-238 powered by the Toloue-10 micro-turbojet 896 engine can supposedly reach speeds of 500 km/h (310 mph). During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there is no verifiable data regarding the percentage of Shahed 131/136s that were shot down by rudimentary anti-aircraft guns despite their small size and mass attacks due to their slow speeds. A jet-powered one-way attack UAV (OWA-UAV) would be more difficult for such defenses to intercept. Jet exhaust would give it a greater infrared signature and make it more vulnerable to infrared homing missiles, and the different powerplant increases cost over the Shahed-136; range compared to the Shahed-136 is also likely reduced.^[5][6]

The three Shahed-238s were displayed with different guidance systems: basic satellite navigation/INS to hit fixed targets; a radar seeker; and an EO/IR sensor. The radar seeker could be for anti-radiation homing against radars to perform suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD) or be an active seeker to hit moving targets. The EO/IR sensor could be used to autonomously home in on heat sources or allow for direct control over the drone by an operator.^[5]