Shahed 131

The Shahed-131 is powered by the Serat-1 Wankel engine, a 38-horsepower unit that is a copy of the Beijing Micropilot UAV Control System Ltd MDR-208 Wankel engine and is derived from the British AR 731 engine. An engine of this type was used for the drone in the 2019 Aramco attack in Abqaiq, The Shahed-131 flight control unit was found to be able to connect with Iridium satellites, which in theory allows the flight path to be altered mid flight. The flight controller has a backup inertial navigation system by MEMS gyroscope. Its primary instructions are derived from a commercial-grade GPS unit, which in later versions deployed by Russia has reportedly been modified with anti-deception algorithms to mitigate GPS signal alterations. However a Royal United Services Institute article states the origins of the Shahed 131 are obscure. It has a forward-mounted warhead compartment capable of accommodating 10 to 20 kg of explosives, enabling it to function as a kamikaze drone upon target impact. Warhead configurations observed include high-explosive charges with pre-formed fragmentation casings for area effects or shaped charge warheads for anti-armor capability. ==Operational history==

It has been alleged the drone was first seen in the Arabian Peninsula when it was used to attack Saudi targets by the Houthi rebels. It was used in the Russo-Ukrainian war, A simplified version is also called Geran-3 where the diesel engine has been replaced with a DLE-60 twin gasoline engine. The use of the Shahed-131/Geran-1 by Russia is part of a strategy to employ economical, expendable platforms for precision strikes, often launched in swarms to overwhelm air defenses. == Operators ==

• : By IRGCASF/NEHSA and IRGCN/NEDSA • : Used as the Geran-1, with domestic production in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) building upon Iranian designs. Non-state actors • Houthis • Islamic Resistance in Iraq • Saraya Ababil: Used as Murad-6 ==See also==