Mohajer UAV

Mohajer UAV

The Mohajer family of reconnaissance and surveillance UAVs emerged during the later stages of the Iran-Iraq war as improvised UAVs but have since evolved. Mohajer means "Migrant". Early model Mohajers were some of the first ever use of UCAVs in combat (1) 253 Mohajers have been produced by the Qods Aviation Industry as of ~2006-2007. (2)

Design:
Early-model Mohajers feature the same basic design with a cigarette shaped fuselage with wings mounted at the high fuselage point and slightly to the rear. The wings themselves have a constant chord. Only the Mohajer-4 differs in this regard. All models have a joined double tail-boom. Control surfaces are found on the main wings as well as the tailplanes. Most models are fitted with landing skids.

The Mohajer family uses an unknown powerplant.

The Mohajer can be launched from the usual range of JATO/RATO/Pneumatic launch ramps usually associated with Iran's other UAVs, except perhaps the shortest. Recovery is either conventional landing via skids or by parachute.

Aside from this, all of the different members of the Mohajer family are fairly unique and as such, other design features shall be addressed under the variants respective entries below.


Variants:

Mohajer-1
The Mohajer-1 saw action during the later stages of the Iran-Iraq war where it was launched from speedboats to provide battlefield surveillance for Iranian offensives. Unlike later Mohajers, it featured a tricycle landing gear which would theoretically give it a conventional take-off capability. It had a range of 30 km while it's payload included a static nose mounted camera and up to six PG-7 rockets (three under each wing). (3)

Mohajer-1 during the Iran-Iraq war (Unknown)

Mohajer-2
The Mohajer-2 shares the same basic design as the Mohajer-1, but adds what can only be explained as carry handles have been mounted on either side of the fuselage just forward and below the leading edge of the wing. The wheels meanwhile have been replaced with skids.

It is powered by an unknown 25 hp engine. One possible canidate is the WAE-342 which is also used on the Ababil UAV. (4)

One large increase in capability compared to the Mohajer-1 comes in the addition of an auto-pilot with a real-time data uplink/downlink. (5)

Mohajer-2 (Borna News)

Mounted in the front of the fuselage is a new payload bay which can carries a traversable mount for TV or FLIR cameras. Also carried is a line-scanner which is advertised as being able to provide 1-meter resolution at an altitude of 5 km. Some models also have a static, forward facing camera mounted in the front of the fuselage (6)

Mohajer-3
Also known as the "Dorna", the Mohajer-2 is reported to have wheels, rather then skids which gives it a conventional launch capability.(7) It is reported to have 80% autonomous capability (8)



Mohajer-4
Also known as the Hodhod, the Mohajer-4 departs radically from previous designs featuring a larger box-like fuselage compared to the cigarette shape of earlier generations. The wings are now tapered with a upward cranked tip. Meanwhile, the static skids of the Mohajer-2 have been replaced with flexible skids in a tricycle configuration. It also features composite construction. (9)

The Mohajer-4 was reported to have been first tested in February 2002 alongside the Saeqeh target drone. (10) As of ~2006-2007, the development of the Mohajer-4B as 95% complete. However, further concrete information is available concerning this sub-variant. (11)

At least two types of engines appear to be in use, though the exact designations are unknown.

The Mohajer-4 appears to use the same TV/FLIR payload as the Mohajer-2. Another similarity between the two models can be found in the presence of a static, forward-facing camera in the nose of some models of the Mohajer-4 as well.

Mohajer-4 (Mehr News)

Mohajer-5
Little is known about this model and no operational prototypes have ever been seen. It is reported to be jet-powered. (12) As of ~2006, the research phase of the project was 19% completed. (13)

Specifications:

Mohajer-2 (14) (15)
Length: 2.9 m
Wingspan: 3.8 m
Height: NA
Empty Weight: 70 kg
MTOW: 85 kg
Payload Weight: NA
Cruise Speed: 200 km/h
Endurance: 1.5 hr
Range: 50-150 km
Ceiling: 4.82 km
Powerplant: NA
Payload: TV/FLIR camera, line-scanner

Mohajer-3 (16)

Length: NA
Wingspan: NA
Height: NA
Empty Weight: NA
MTOW: NA
Payload Weight: NA
Cruise Speed: 180 km/h
Endurance: 2-3 hr
Range: 100 km
Ceiling: NA
Powerplant: NA

Payload: NA

Mohajer-4 (17)

Length: 3.74 km
Wingspan: 5.3 m
Height: NA
Empty Weight: NA
MTOW: 210 kg
Payload Weight: NA
Cruise Speed: 200 km/h
Endurance: 3 hr
Range: 150 km
Ceiling: 4.57 km
Powerplant: NA
Payload:NA

References:

(1)Devlin, Liam. "Iran Expands UAV Capability." Unmanned Vehicles. December 2006 - January 2007. Accessed Online.
(2) Unknown industry poster. Attained via forum member "M-ATF".
(3) ibd Devlin, 2007
(4) VPK News. Unknown Article concerning the Kish 2005 airshow. Accessed via Google Translate: http://www.waronline.org/forum/viewtopic.php?printertopic=1&t=10063&postdays=0&postorder=as%20c&&start=25&sid=c3f7ef871c6097a2ae06c7d5275f7c39
(5) ibd Devlin, 2007
(6) Ministry of Defense Logistics and Export. Mohajer-2. http://modlexcentre.com/new/mohajer.php 
(7) ibd Devlin, 2007
(8) Devlin, Liam. "Iran Seeks Technology Boost From Western UAVs" Unmanned Vehicles. May 2007. Accessed Online.
(9) ibd Devlin, 2007
(10) "Mohajer" Global Security. 10-07-2008 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/mohajer.htm
(11) ibd M-ATF
(12) "UAS: The Global Perspective." 2009/2010 UAS Yearbook. 7th Edition. Blyenburgh & Co, 2009.
(13) ibd M-ATF
(14) ibd VPK News
(15) ibd Modlex
(16) ibd Devlin, 2007
(17) Discussion on Iran Military Forum. http://www.iranmilitaryforum.net/index.php?topic=874.msg62659;topicseen#msg62659