PANHA Surena (Sorena)

Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) [ 2025 ]

The Surena Light Utility Helicopter has been in slow development since 2014 with few takers on the global stage found to date.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/15/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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The IHSRC (IRAN Helicopter Support and Renweal Company) SORENA / SURENA faces an uphill climb by sanctions-stricken Iranian aero-industry. The type is of Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) design and first appeared in 2014. Since then, development appears to have slowed considerably. At Army-2022 in Russia, the SORENA II variant was showcased as a sub-scale model (under glass) indicating the project may still have some life yet.

The aircraft would enter a potentially lucrative LUH market dominated by usual industry players from the United States and Europe (and more recently China). Where the SORENA may hold an advantage is in customers typically locked out of purchasing Western rotorcraft for various reasons (chief among these being technology accessibility and procurement costs). In any case, the market introduction of this system would continue to broaden a growing military-industrial base seen by the nation of Iran where the country is making notable inroads in the aircraft (including drones), small arms, naval vessel, and armored vehicle markets.

As presented, this light helicopter is given a traditional design arrangement with seating for four at front, powerplant at rear, and a thin tail stem housing the drive shaft to the tail rotor unit. Vision out-of-the-cockpit is excellent with a heavily windowed forward section for both pilot positions. The main rotor consists of a two-bladed system and the tail rotor follows suit with its facing set to port side. Horizontal planes are featured at the tail stem's midway point and vertical surfaces are present at the extreme end of the empennage. The undercarriage is of a simple four-point twin-skid assembly reducing costs and complexity of the helicopter as a whole. Access to the cockpit and passenger cabin is accomplished by way of hinged, automobile-style doors. A pair of occupants sit side-by-side aft of the instrument panel with additional side-by-side seating in the cabin.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC) / PANHA - Iran
Manufacturer(s)

Iran (possible)
Operators

2025
Service Year

Iran
National Origin

In-Development
Project Status

1
Crew

1
Units

CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.

SPECIAL-MISSION: MECICAL EVACUATION
Extraction of wounded combat or civilian elements by way of specialized onboard equipment and available internal volume or external carrying capability.

SPECIAL-MISSION: SEARCH & RESCUE
Ability to locate and extract personnel from areas of potential harm or peril (i.e. downed airmen in the sea).

MARITIME / NAVY
Land-based or shipborne capability for operating over-water in various maritime-related roles while supported by allied naval surface elements.

VIP SERVICE
Used in the Very-Important-Person (VIP) passenger transport role, typically with above-average amenities and luxuries as standard.

INTELLIGENCE-SURVEILLANCE-RECONNAISSANCE
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

X-PLANE
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

MARITIME OPERATION
Ability to operate over ocean in addition to surviving the special rigors of the maritime environment.

ENCLOSED CREWSPACE(S)
Features partially- or wholly-enclosed crew workspaces.

2,205 lb
(1,000 kilograms)
Empty Weight

2,524 lb
(1,145 kilograms)
Maximum Take-Off Weight

+320 lb
(+145 kg)
Weight Difference

1 x Turboshaft engine driving two-bladed main rotor and two-bladed tail rotor (facing port side).
Propulsion

149 mph
(240 kph | 130 knots)
Max Speed

96 mph
(155 kph | 84 knots)
Cruise Speed

+53 mph
(+85 kph | 46 knots)
Speed Difference

14,108 ft
(4,300 m | 3 miles)
Ceiling

345 miles
(555 km | 300 nm)
Range

540 ft/min
(165 m/min)
Rate-of-Climb

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

None.

Surena - Base Series Name.

Sorena - Alternative name.

Sorena II - Modernized variant debuted in scale-model form at Army-2022 in Russia.

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Aviation / Aerospace

PANHA Surena (Sorena)

Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) [ 2025 ]

The Surena Light Utility Helicopter has been in slow development since 2014 with few takers on the global stage found to date.

Specifications