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Conflict Armament Research tracks illegal weapons in conflicts; providing evidence-based info to support arms control. Media: communications@conflictarm.com

Feb 9, 2023, 8 tweets

In January 2023, a CAR field investigation team documented the warhead of an Iranian Shahed-131 single-use UAV. This is the first time that analysis of these warheads has been released in the public domain. bit.ly/multipurpose_w… 🧵 [1/8]

This multipurpose warhead for the Iranian Shahed-series UAV was specifically designed to ensure maximum damage to targets such as critical infrastructure #drone #UkraineRussiaWar [2/8]

CAR initially documented the UAV itself in November 2022, and showed the reliance of these Iranian systems on components produced by companies based in Europe and the US [3/8] bit.ly/Iraniandrones

The Shahed-131’s warhead has a primary shaped charge in the forward section, and 18 smaller shaped charges around the circumference. [4/8] bit.ly/multipurpose_w…

It also has two fragmentation matrixes designed to generate an additional radial fragmentation effect. [5/8] bit.ly/multipurpose_w…

These matrixes appear to be a later addition, with poor fit and finish, alignment, and overall quality compared to the warhead itself. [6/8] bit.ly/multipurpose_w…

Previous CAR documentations have seen that Shahed UAVs can be fitted with other types of warhead, like this reinforced, 7-mm-thick steel casing to penetrate structures before detonation. [7/8]

This supports CAR’s observation that this multiple-effect warhead is designed specifically to attack large targets like energy infrastructure. [8/8] reuters.com/world/europe/r…

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