The Shahed 129 was unveiled in late 2012 and entered mass production in September 2013 for the Aerospace Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution. According to Iranian sources the Shahed 129 has an operational radius of 1,700 km, a monitoring capability of 200 km and a flight endurance of twenty-four hours while flying at 7,315 m (24.000 feet).[1]
The Shahed 129 flying over Eastern Ghouta likely belongs to the third batch manufactured. Apart from the possibility to carry weapons and the retractable landing gear already seen in the second batch, the antenna, enlarged propellers and a new v-tail appear to be the most recent additions. Reports about an enlarged nose section similar to the MQ-9 Reaper are false. A logical mistake caused by the reflection of sunlight.
The drone is unarmed in the video however. Yet, this doesn't exclude the possibility of armed Shahed 129s already flying around or being armed in the near future.
When armed, the Shahed 129 can carry up to eight guided missiles and is thus capable of precision strikes anywhere in Syria. Possible targets include headquarters and weapon depots of the rebels, or simply the support of ground forces.
The Shahed 129 could turn out to be a true game-changer for Assad, especially when armed. It is also capable of effectively taking over some roles of the air force's fighter-bombers and helicopters, which are already overstretched. The Shahed 129s are likely to be bassed at Mezze AFB.
The sighting the of Shahed 129, obviously Iranian operated and delivered on board on one of the many Iranian transport flights to Syria, shows the extent to which the Iranians are prepared to support Assad. It's only a question of time before new Iranian weapons are spotted in Syria.
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