The US-Israel war on Iran, starting February 28, 2026, has spotlighted Tehran's attritional capabilities against a superior adversary. Its use of uncrewed aerial systems has emerged as key in explaining Iran's strategy and epitomising the revolution in modern warfighting. Iran has used over 2,000 Shahed drones since February 28, with strikes hitting targets from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus (≈1,700 km away) to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet HQ in Bahrain, Dubai International Airport, and US bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Five variants, each an evolution in Iran's drone programme — from short-range loitering munitions to high-altitude strike platforms.
An engineering blueprint of every documented component, colour-coded by country of origin. Click any chip for full details. Data is courtesy of the detailed teardowns presented by the Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR)'s 'War Sanctions' Project.
Four interconnected actors drive Iran's drone ecosystem — from state designers to global exporters. Click any stage to explore.
Click any stage to explore in detail.
Iran's Shahed family has proliferated across state militaries, armed non-state actors, and rival superpowers — reshaping military calculus across three continents.
Despite comprehensive US and EU sanctions, Iran assembled a fully operational Shahed ecosystem using four distinct component integration pathways.