Iran Supplies Advanced Air Bombs to Russia for the First Time, Says Bild

The Iranian Mohajer-6 heavy drone, which crashed over the weekend in the Kursk region, was carrying Iranian Qaem-5 advanced guided bombs, according to military expert Julian Ropke from Bild, commenting on footage from the crash site.

It is believed that the drone was intended to attack the Sumy region of Ukraine, but did not reach its target and crashed.

The munitions depicted in the photographs and videos indeed resemble the Qaem-5, a small diameter glide bomb that can be mounted on Iranian Mohajer-6 and Hamaseh drones. This bomb can be fitted with various types of warheads. Its declared flight range is up to 40 km, with a minimum operational altitude of about 3 km. It was put into service in Iran in August 2019.

Developed by Iran's Qods Aviation Industries, the Mohajer-6 entered mass production in 2018 and is considered Iran's most successful export drone. This drone, designed for both reconnaissance and combat operations, has a maximum take-off weight of 600 kg and a wingspan of 10 meters. It is powered by a three-blade Rotax 912 piston engine, providing a maximum speed of 200 km/h, a ceiling of 5.5 km, and a flight range of about 2,000 km.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russian forces have been operating the Mohajer-6, but without weapons. According to Ropke, the use of the Qaem-5 indicates a new level of military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.