Iran seeks modernized Russian Geran-5 drones for use against Israel and the US, FT reports
Iran has asked Russia to supply it with modernized Geran-5 jet drones — the Russian-developed evolution of Iran's own Shahed design — for potential strikes against Israel and the United States, the Financial Times reported, citing Western intelligence. The request marks a reversal of the original Shahed supply relationship and comes as Moscow scales up jet-powered drone production, producing more than 1,400 such units since the start of the year.
Key points
- Iran requested Geran-5 drones from Russia this year for use against Israel and the United States, according to the Financial Times citing Western intelligence.
- 'Geran' is the Russian designation and further development of Iranian Shahed drones; Russia began production in 2023.
- Geran-1 reaches 185 km/h and carries a 20 kg warhead; the newer Geran-5 reaches 600 km/h, carries a 90 kg warhead, and has a range of up to 1,000 km.
- Newer Geran variants are equipped with thermal-imaging cameras, AI-based guidance, Russian anti-electronic-warfare antennas, and Chinese mesh modems.
- Russia's use of jet-powered drones rose from about 180 units in 2025 to more than 1,400 since the start of 2026, according to analyst Agil Rustamzade.
- Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate says Russia reduced UAV strike intensity in July to reconfigure production toward Geran-4 and Geran-5 models.
- Ukraine shoots down about 60% of jet-powered Shaheds, compared with 90–95% of other models, according to Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat.
Why it matters
The reported request inverts the original Shahed supply chain: Iran, which once supplied the strike drones to Russia, is now seeking the modernized Russian version back, suggesting possible Russian-Iranian coordination of drone strikes beyond Ukraine. The Geran-5's 600 km/h speed, 90 kg warhead, and 1,000 km range, combined with rapidly scaling production — from about 180 units in 2025 to more than 1,400 so far in 2026 — make these drones a growing threat. For Ukraine, the operational impact is already visible: only about 60% of jet-powered Shaheds are intercepted, versus 90–95% of other models.
What happened
The Financial Times, citing Western intelligence, reported that Iran has asked Russia to supply modernized Geran-5 jet drones for use against Israel and the United States. Geran is the Russian designation and further development of Iranian Shahed drones; Russia began production of Geran drones in 2023, originally after Iran supplied it with Shahed designs. The newest Geran-5 reaches speeds of up to 600 km/h, carries a 90 kg warhead, has a range of up to 1,000 km, and features a new design resembling a cruise missile. Newer Geran variants carry thermal-imaging cameras and AI-based guidance, Russian antennas for protection against electronic warfare, and Chinese mesh modems. Centralized Russian production has allowed rapid iteration on combat lessons, according to experts cited by the FT, and analyst Agil Rustamzade estimated that Russia's use of jet-powered drones rose eightfold — from 180 units in 2025 to more than 1,400 since the start of 2026.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets frame the story as 'reverse lend-lease,' emphasizing that Iran — the original source of the Shahed — is now asking Moscow for the modernized descendant of those same drones. They foreground the technical evolution from Geran-1 to Geran-5 and the upgraded capabilities — AI guidance, thermal-imaging cameras, Russian and Chinese components — that make these drones harder to counter. They quote Ukrainian officials and experts: presidential defense technology advisor Serhiy 'Flash' Beskrestnov on operator-guided terminal attacks, the Main Intelligence Directorate on the July dip in strikes tied to retooling for Geran-4 and Geran-5, Major General Vadym Skibitsky on Russia's dependence on Chinese turbojet engines, and Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat on the 60% interception rate for jet-powered Shaheds versus 90–95% for other models.
Background
Iran originally supplied Russia with Shahed strike drones; 'Geran' is the Russian designation and further development of those designs, with production starting in 2023. The first-generation Geran-1 reached 185 km/h and carried a 20 kg warhead, while the newer Geran-5 reaches 600 km/h, carries a 90 kg warhead, and has a 1,000 km range. Newer variants add thermal-imaging cameras, AI-based guidance, Russian anti-electronic-warfare antennas, and Chinese mesh modems, and are guided by a Russian operator who locks onto the target before the drone automatically attacks. Centralized production allowed Russia to change drone designs rapidly using combat experience, according to experts cited by the FT; Ruslan Pukhov of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies said production is technologically simpler than building tanks and skipped lengthy testing. Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate says Russia reduced UAV strike intensity in July to reconfigure production toward Geran-4 and Geran-5, after which attacks included 50% jet-powered UAVs. Major General Vadym Skibitsky noted that Russia's dependence on Chinese turbojet engines still slows scaling, though Russia is developing its own analogues.