Recently at the Partner 2025 exhibition in Belgrade, Serbia, Iran showed its strike drone. It was marked as GLMD-24W4.5-R2 and was adapted to be launched from a container.
In addition, the characteristics of this loitering munition were also made public at the exhibition. In particular, it weighs 41 kilograms, of which the cumulative-fragmentation warhead takes up as much as 24 kilograms. That is, most of the drone's mass is the payload, which is truly impressive. This is reported by the Army Recognition.
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However, due to such a large warhead, the range and flight time are significantly limited. Thus, the maximum range of this loitering munition is only 20 km while the maximum flight duration is 20 minutes.
But, it seems that this drone is being demonstrated not for the first time. So, we can recall that earlier this year, Iran showed its Rezvan loitering munition, which is identical to the one shown at the Partner 2025 exhibition in Serbia.
From Defense Express we will also add that it is equipped with an electro-optical station for guidance, while control seems to be via a radio channel. Interestingly, that Iran somehow managed to adapt the Rezvan for underwater launch from a submarine.
The main problem here is not the launch in an underwater position itself, although this is also not an easy task, but how to further control this drone. Because one of the few communication options is to place the antenna on the mast of the submarine, and when used, extend it from under the water.
But this, in turn, can reveal its location and put the submarine at risk of a retaliatory strike. In addition, the drone has a short range, which also does not contribute to the stealth of the submarine.
Iran unveils underwater-launched suicide drone. pic.twitter.com/QvxNjYJKSV— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 12, 2025
Showing this drone at an exhibition in Europe may signal Iran's readiness to export these UAVs, in particular to some European countries, which, in turn, may also threaten NATO countries. Moreover, we may not only be talking about exports to the russian federation...
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