The HESA Qasef-1 is a further evolution of the Iranian Ababil-2 production line of military drones - the loitering munition form featured in the fighting across Yemen.
The HESA Qasef-1 is an offshoot of the established Ababil line of Iranian developed and produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) detailed elsewhere on this site. Iran has deliberately moved to strengthen its expertise in the field of military-level drones and the Ababil is a product of this initiative. It has been in service since the volatile 1980s and has been consistently evolved into more capable, potent forms. One byproduct of this undeterred work is the "Qasef-1" which is believed to have been in operational service since sometime in 2016.
NOTE: It is actively debated whether the Qasef-1 is the direct product of local Iranian industry or the product of in-the-field modification of the Ababil-2 production form by Houthi rebels operating actively in Yemen. For the purposes of this article, it is assumed that local Iranian industry has driven this development.
Unlike other Ababil forms, the Qasef-1 is an expendable "loitering munition", tracking for ground targets (ground-based control is via GPS), engaging on-command, and expending itself in a suicidal action. The air vehicle adds a 66lb 30kg) explosive warhead to the mix which provides the detonation / damage capabilities of a conventional drop bomb at much reduced cost - making the Qasef-1 an excellent budget attack weapon and perfect for rebel-types seeking to make some noise. To this quality add the fact that drones are small and slow enough to evade traditional radar, giving them an inherent "stealth" quality.
The physical characteristics of the aircraft, based on captured specimens and displayed by Saudi officials, include a centralized, tubular fuselage, rear-set mainplanes (featuring little sweepback), and foreplanes for added control. Vertical fins are seated at the mainplanes at the rear of the aircraft. The fuselage holds all of the pertinent operational equipment included the engine, optics set, fuel stores, and avionics. The engine is installed at the extreme end of the fuselage and drives a multi-bladed propeller unit in "pusher" fashion. Since these air vehicles are designed to be expendable (i.e. no return trip), no undercarriage is necessary, further simplifying construction and reducing cost. Launching of the air vehicle is by ground-assistance, either pneumatic catapult (stand-alone or vehicle-mounted) or jet- / rocket-assisted.
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Specifications
Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) - Iran Manufacturer(s)
GROUND ATTACK
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
UNMANNED
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
9.4 ft (2.88 meters) Length
10.7 ft (3.25 meters) Width/Span
3.0 ft (0.90 meters) Height
66 lb (30 kilograms) Empty Weight
187 lb (85 kilograms) Maximum Take-Off Weight
+121 lb (+55 kg) Weight Difference
1 x WAE-342 twin-cylinder piston engine developing 25 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller unit at the rear of the fuselage in pusher arrangement. Propulsion
1 x 66lb (30kg) warhead with impact detonation (roughly the same effect of a conventional drop bomb upon detonation).
0 Hardpoints
Qasef-1 - Base Series Designation; dispute remains whether the aircraft is a product of local Iranian industry or in-the-field conversion of Ababil-2 drones by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Images
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Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery database.
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Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery database.
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