The Shahed-238 is a jet-propelled one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed and built domestically by Iran. First officially unveiled in 2023, Iran has used Shahed-238 UAVs against targets in Israel and Gulf states, and Russia has widely employed the Shahed-238 in its offensive campaign against Ukraine.

Shahed-238 Development

Shahed Aviation Industries developed the Shahed-238 as a jet-powered variation of the Shahed-136, continuing Iranian UAV development efforts since the end of the Iran-Iraq War. Iranian state media has claimed that jet propulsion on other one-way-attack UAVs could enable higher speeds and agility. Iranian Ashura Aerospace University of Science & Technology first unveiled the Shahed-238 during a visit by former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to show recent achievements in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Forces.¹

There are several varieties of the Shahed-238 UAV, and the range, speed, payload, altitude, and other specifications are interdependent and likely to vary based on modifications. Although sources vary, Shahed-238 UAVs are more expensive than their Shahed-131 or Shahed 136 counterparts due to the use of jet engines. Even though this does not necessarily reflect the price of production, some reporters have indicated that Russia is interested in purchasing Shahed-238 UAVs at $900,000 – $1.4 million per unit, depending on the variant.²

Specifications

Similar to previous Shahed variants, the Shahed-238 relies on several reverse-engineered or commercially available foreign components. The Shahed-238 reportedly relies on TJ150 jet engines manufactured by the Czech company PBS Velká Bíteš and has a speed of approximately 600 km per hour.³ The Russian variation, known as the Geran-3, is powered by a Chinese Telefly JT80 engine and has a speed of approximately 300 to 370 km per hour.⁴ Other reports note that the Geran-3 may also use the TJ150 engine or its Iranian copy, the Tulou-10 turbojet engine.⁵ This engine may provide the Geran-3 a flight speed of 550 to 600 km per hour and a range of 2,500 km.⁶ However, the reported range of the Shahed-238 varies; some sources approximate the range to be 1,000-2,000 km and a maximum altitude of 9,000 meters.⁷

The Shahed-238 has a length of approximately 3.5 meters, a wingspan of 3 meters, and a maximum take-off weight of between 250 and 370 kg.⁸ The Shahed-238 can carry a payload of 50 kg, though some Russian variants can carry a payload of 90 kg.⁹ The Shahed-238 is also reportedly capable of intercepting air targets, including the MQ-9 Reaper drone.¹⁰ Some Shahed-238 variations also maintain a black paint scheme to increase the difficulty of detection at night.¹¹

Variants of the Shahed-238 rely on different guidance systems. Reportedly, some versions rely on inertial navigation systems and global positioning systems, while others use infrared, optical, or radar guidance systems to strike heat-contrast targets and military equipment in the rear.¹² Some analysts assess that the radar-homing variants may be used as anti-radiation missile targeting radars to support the suppression of enemy air defense missions.

The Shahed-238 is capable of being launched from an accelerated car, a truck-mounted rail, or a stationary platform using a solid fuel booster.¹³

Service History

After being unveiled in 2023, evidence of the Shahed-238 first appeared in Russia’s campaign against Ukraine.¹⁴ In 2023, Iran also offered to supply Russia with approximately 100 Shahed-238 UAVs per month.¹⁵ By February 2025, Russia began domestic production of a Shahed-238 variant, the Geran-3.¹⁶ In July 2025, Russia began to conduct large-scale operations with the Shahed-238, including by launching a salvo of 300 of them against Kyiv.¹⁷

In September 2025, a Shahed-238 was found in Iraq’s Basra province, which, according to Iraqi sources, was conducting a reconnaissance flight to monitor activity along the Iran-Iraq border.¹⁸ During the first weeks of Operation True Promise IV, Iran employed thousands of one-way-attack UAVs and Shahed-238 UAVs in its retaliatory campaign to shorten warning times and complicate air defense engagement cycles.¹⁹ On February 28, 2026, a Shahed-238 struck a forecourt area in front of a hotel in Dubai.²⁰