Click to see full-size image. (Griffon Aerospace)
The United States’ Griffon Aerospace on August 19 unveiled the MQM-172 Arrowhead, an unmanned aerial system that appears to be an exact copy of Iran’s Shahed-136 drone.
In a statement shared by Daniel Beck, Airworthiness Manager and Program Manager at Griffon Aerospace, the Alabama-based company described the Arrowhead as a purpose-built system intended to offer unmatched flexibility across multiple mission profiles.
“Arrowhead was purpose-built to give our customers unmatched flexibility across multiple mission sets,” Beck said.
“In addition to its role as a high-performance target drone, Arrowhead can also be configured as a one-way attack platform—bringing decisive effects when it matters most,” he added.
The Arrowhead features a configurable payload bay capable of carrying up to 100 pounds [45 kg], allowing for various sensor or warhead options depending on mission requirements, according to Griffon Aerospace, which didn’t share more technical details.
Click to see full-size image. (Griffon Aerospace)
Despite the stark resemblance with the Shahed-136, the company stated that the drone was “designed, tested, and manufactured” in-house, drawing on its experience with over 12,000 drones delivered to date.
“This release represents the culmination of extensive development and testing, and we’re excited to see Arrowhead take its place in the field alongside our other proven platforms,” Beck said in the statement.
The Shahed-136 suicide drone proved its worth during multiple conflicts in the Middle East. Russian Geran-series suicide drones, which are reported to be based on the Shahed-136, were also proven to be a gamechanger during the special military operation in Ukraine.
The Arrowhead is not the first American copy of the Shahed-136. The Arizona-based SpektreWorks unveiled its own version of the drone, the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS). Just like the Arrowhead, the LUCAS can be used as a target drone, or configured for one-way attack missions.
The U.S. was likely able to develop these systems based on examples of Shahed-136 and Geran drones provided by Israel and Ukraine.
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amerikan tech inferior to taliban
must be a highly successful platform.