Re: What Made My Day Today? :-)

China has unveiled a double engine model of Shahed, sacrificing half the Shahed 136 version's 24 hour flight and loitering time in return for higher speed. This model can travel at 200 km/hr, but has to be used for targets at shorter distances.
The explosive payload stays the same.
So, was it needed? The only gain in combat it has compared to Shahed 136 is that it is less probable to get hit by small arms, so it can travel at lower altitudes and therefore can perhaps even target moving objects.
But this is all guess. Also, it is now much more expensive!
I bet Iranians thought of such designs and opted against them. Much cheaper, with twice as long loitering and travel time, yet carrying the same load of explosives, makes Shahed 136 in fact a better war weapon in my view.
Russians' version of Shahed 136 are really destroying important targets in places in Ukraine that are farthest to Russia, as we speak. And this important role is being played with little expense.
Iran's answer to increase the speed of Shahed 136 was to use a jet engine. And it has not been as popular as 136 version because it is also much more expensive than 136. In any war of attrition, the lower cost and ease of production really rules.
But let's not forget that the Chinese versions of Shahed 136 also have adequate intelligence gathering and reconnaissance capability built into them. Iranians have been using separate drones for that purpose, mainly the Ababil 4 and 5. The two also have a payload on them in case it is determined that they be used as a suicide drone. And they carry air to ground missiles, so they have some combat roles as well. They can come back and land, if the intelligence gathered by them is the main purpose of the operation.