New photos of the Iranian Mohajer-6 strike drone have appeared online. It is reported that it was deployed at the El Libertador airbase near the city of Maracay.
This drone can carry up to four guided missiles or bombs, allowing it to deliver precision strikes. Such drones will be particularly relevant for Venezuela if the U.S. launches an invasion of the country. They will enable precision strikes against various boats and landing ships approaching the Venezuelan coast.
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This is not the first deployment of these drones in Venezuela, with their presence first reported in 2020. It is likely that Iran transferred the technology to manufacture these UAVs, allowing them to be assembled locally.
These drones have been used from time to time by russians in Ukraine since the fall of 2022. Soon after its sale to the russian federation, Ukrainian forces were able to capture a Mohajer-6 after it landed in the Black Sea. As a result, Ukraine obtained a fully intact Mohajer-6, which was thoroughly examined by specialists from the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.
There were reports that Ukrainian forces intended to restore this Mohajer-6 for use against russians. The effort was likely neither feasible nor practical, requiring substantial resources while producing only a single drone lacking spare parts or ammunition.
Research indicates that 75% of the Mohajer-6's components are of foreign origin. It is notable that the Mohajer-6's thermal imager was manufactured in Israel, which appears surprising.
Recent reports on Mohajer-6 operations are scarce, probably because of the drone's specialized role and small fleet size. Most recently, Mohajer-6 was shot down in May 2024 in the Kursk region of the russian federation.
Mohajer-6 can be controlled from a distance of 200-500 km and has a range of up to 2,400 km. The Mohajer-6 can fly for up to 12 hours and achieve a maximum speed of 200 km/h. Its flight altitude is about 5.5 km, and its maximum take-off weight is about 600 kg.
In terms of armament, it has four suspension points on which it can carry guided bombs and missiles, including Qaem-1 bombs with infrared homing, as well as Qaem-5 and Qaem-9 bombs with television guidance. They can strike ground targets up to 20 km away, although reports suggest a variant with an alleged range of 40 km.
Among the guided missiles are Almas anti-tank guided missiles with a range of up to 8 km. They are widely regarded as copies of Israel's Spike missiles, given their similar design and operating principles.
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