Iran’s Missile and Drone Arsenal: A Comprehensive Guide to Tehran’s Weapons of War

From Shahed drones revolutionizing modern warfare to hypersonic Fattah missiles, Iran’s indigenous weapons program has turned the Islamic Republic into a military powerhouse capable of striking regional adversaries and global shipping.

By [HARRIS KHAN], Senior Correspondent for Geopolitical and Defence Affairs, Dusk News

Published: March 12, 2026

Iran’s missile and drone arsenal explained: Shahed drones, Fattah hypersonic missiles, Sejjil, Khorramshahr-4, and more. Complete guide to Tehran’s weapons shaping the Gulf War.

URL: https://dusk.com.pk/iran-missile-drone-arsenal-complete-guide

TEHRAN / WASHINGTON: When Iran launched more than 540 missiles at Gulf states and an equal number at Israel in the opening days of the current conflict, the world witnessed the firepower of a military doctrine decades in the making . With an estimated 2,500 ballistic missiles and thousands of drones, Iran possesses the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East .

What makes this arsenal particularly significant is its indigenous nature. Decades of sanctions and isolation have forced Iran to develop domestic production capabilities that now make it one of the world’s most formidable powers in asymmetric warfare . From the Shahed drones that changed the course of the Ukraine war to hypersonic missiles that claim to be “uninterceptable,” Iran’s weapons represent a fundamental shift in how wars are fought .

This comprehensive guide examines Iran’s missile and drone arsenal, its capabilities, and its role in the current conflict.

Iran’s Missile Arsenal: By the Numbers
Estimates of Iran’s missile stockpile vary, but intelligence sources agree on the broad contours of a formidable arsenal:

Source Estimated Missile Count Date
Israeli Defense Forces 2,500 ballistic missiles March 2026
Global Firepower Index ~3,000 ballistic and cruise missiles
Pre-June 2025 Estimate ~3,000 missiles
Current Production Rate ~100 missiles per month US estimate

During the June 2025 war, Iran launched more than 500 missiles at Israel. Israeli forces stated they destroyed hundreds more in targeted strikes and disrupted production of an additional 1,500 missiles by hitting key manufacturing infrastructure . Since then, Iran has worked intensively to rebuild, with production following an “ascending trend” according to Israeli military assessments .

The arsenal includes short-range, medium-range, and hypersonic variants, many stored in underground “missile cities” for protection against airstrikes . Since the current conflict began on February 28, Iran has fired at least 540 missiles at Gulf states and the same number at Israel, along with more than 1,000 drones .

Iran’s Ballistic Missile Inventory

Sejjil: The High-Speed Backbone
The Sejjil is one of Iran’s most advanced solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM), capable of reaching speeds exceeding 17,000 km/h and a range of up to 2,500 km . Its solid-fuel design allows for rapid launch preparation, making it hard to detect and intercept.

Specifications:

Range: 2,000-2,500 km

Payload: Up to 1,500 kg

Fuel Type: Solid

Key Feature: High speed, rapid launch capability

In the 2026 retaliation against Israel, the Sejjil-2 variant was reportedly used for the first time in combat, showcasing its destructive warhead . Production has been affected by strikes on fuel mixers, but it remains a key deterrent.

Khorramshahr-4: The Payload Powerhouse
Recently deployed in IRGC underground missile cities, the Khorramshahr-4 boasts a 2,000 km range and can carry a 1,500 kg warhead, making it ideal for saturation attacks . Some sources suggest it can carry a warhead weighing nearly two tons .

Specifications:

Range: 2,000 km

Payload: 1,500 kg

Fuel Type: Liquid

Key Feature: High destructive power

Iranian state media highlighted its upgrade in early February 2026, emphasizing enhanced deterrence . The missile’s liquid-fuel system provides flexibility, though it requires more preparation time than solid-fuel counterparts.

Fattah: The Hypersonic Edge
Iran’s first hypersonic missile, the Fattah, represents a technological leap with a 1,400 km range and speeds that reportedly make it “uninterceptable” . Its maneuverability allows it to evade advanced air defenses like those of Israel and the US.

Specifications:

Range: 1,400 km

Payload: Varies

Fuel Type: Solid

Key Feature: Hypersonic speeds, evasive capabilities

The Fattah-2 variant has been the subject of speculation that it could be deployed in the current conflict . Hypersonic missiles are not only incredibly fast but are also said to be able to strike from unexpected directions undetected by radar systems . Iran claims the Fattah can carry a warhead weighing up to 450 kilograms .

Shahab-3 and Variants: Reliable Workhorses
The Shahab-3, with ranges from 800 to 1,300 km, forms the core of Iran’s medium-range arsenal . Variants include:

Emad: 1,700 km range, 750 kg payload, precision-guided with 500-meter accuracy

Ghadr: 2,000 km range, capable of reaching Europe

These have been pivotal in Iran’s strikes on US bases and Israeli targets. The larger Emad missile can carry a warhead weighing nearly 800 kg .

Other Notable Missiles
Missile Range (km) Payload (kg) Fuel Type Key Features
Kheibar Shekan 2,000 Solid Satellite-guided, evasive defense capabilities
Haj Qasem 1,400 Solid High mobility, named after Soleimani
Zolfaghar 700 Solid Shorter-range precision strikes
Qassem Basir Unknown Unknown Equipped with evasive defense capabilities
Soumar 1,000+ Unknown Cruise missile variant

Iran maintains a self-imposed range limit of 2,000 kilometers (about 1,240 miles), sufficient to reach Israel and US assets in the region, while denying intentions to develop intercontinental capabilities .

The Drone Arsenal: Shahed and Beyond
If missiles are Iran’s hammer, drones are its scalpel—and its swarm. The Islamic Republic has become a world leader in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, with systems that have been exported to Russia and used across the Middle East .

Shahed-136: The Game-Changer
The Shahed-136 is Iran’s most famous drone, and for good reason. This relatively cheap, long-range weapon has changed the course of the war in Ukraine and is now being used extensively against US and allied targets in the Gulf .

Specifications:

Range: 940-1,240 miles (approximately 1,500-2,000 km)

Payload: 110-330 pounds (50-150 kg)

Cost per unit: Around $35,000

Speed: Estimated 185 km/h

The Shahed-136’s significance extends beyond its combat performance. In a remarkable turn of events, the United States has copied the Iranian design for its own Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) . After Shahed-136s were captured in Ukraine and studied by the US military, a small company in Arizona began producing American versions of the Iranian drone, which are now being used against Iranian targets .

President Donald Trump publicly praised the Iranian drones in May 2025 as cheap to produce, “very good … and fast and deadly” . The irony is lost on no one: the world’s preeminent military power is now fielding technology copied from its adversary.

Tehran has unleashed a wave of Shahed-136 drones across the Middle East as part of its response to Washington’s Operation Epic Fury. The drones have struck buildings in Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, and even the US embassy in Saudi Arabia .

Shahed-107: The New Loitering Munition
In March 2026, Iran officially presented its new Shahed-107 loitering munition . This kamikaze drone represents an evolution in Iranian UAV technology.

Specifications:

Range: Up to 1,500 km

Length: Approximately 2.5 meters

Wingspan: Up to 3 meters

Propulsion: Turboprop engine

Design: X-shaped tail, rectangular wing, elongated cylindrical fuselage

The Shahed-107 can be launched from a catapult launcher, using a solid-fuel accelerator, or from a running start on a runway with a wheeled launch trolley . With its flight range and geometric parameters, the drone’s warhead is unlikely to be very heavy, suggesting a focus on precision over payload.

The drone’s history likely began more than a year ago, but only now, in the context of the escalating Iranian-Israeli confrontation, has Tehran decided to officially present this development .

Mohajer-10: The Long-Endurance Workhorse
Iran unveiled its latest domestically built drone, the Mohajer-10, on March 10, 2026, at a ceremony attended by President Ebrahim Raisi . This represents a significant upgrade over the previous Mohajer-6 model.

Specifications:

Flight Duration: Up to 24 hours

Operational Altitude: 7,000 meters (23,000 feet)

Operational Range: 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles)

Speed: Up to 210 km/h (130 mph)

Payload: Up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds)

The payload capacity is double that of the Mohajer-6, allowing it to carry “all kinds of bombs and ammunitions” . This is also double the weight and flight duration capacity of the previous model, which could hold 150 kilograms of weapons and fly for 12 hours at a lower altitude of 5,400 meters.

The Mohajer-6 has been accused by US officials of being sold to Russia for use in the Ukraine war—an accusation Tehran denies . Western governments have expanded sanctions on Iran over the alleged arms sales.

Shahed Swarm Tactics
Perhaps more important than individual drone capabilities is Iran’s doctrine of mass employment. Russia, which acquired Shahed technology from Iran almost immediately, has demonstrated the power of swarm tactics :

Period Shahed-Type Launches
By March 2024 130 drones per week
Six months later 1,100+ drones per week
Ukraine has shown that it can intercept about 80 percent of Shahed strikes . But at larger volumes, even the most capable current defenses can be overwhelmed, leaving thousands of munitions free to seek their targets. The first week of fighting in Iran showed that 2,000 Shaheds are hard to intercept and can cause serious damage .

Naval Missiles: The Anti-Ship Arsenal
On March 6, 2026, Iranian state TV announced that “a large number of new anti-ship cruise missiles were added to the IRGC naval forces” . A total of 2,654 military systems including long-range and medium-range missiles, drones for combat and reconnaissance, and electronic warfare units were added to the Guards’ naval forces .

The new missiles have “high-explosive warheads and being untraceable” . IRGC chief General Hossein Salami emphasized the importance of being able to “stop the enemy from afar”:

“If we cannot engage with the enemy in the depths of the sea and oceans at any desired point and stop the enemy from afar, we will naturally have problems at our national borders. In today’s world, one must either be strong in order to survive and be safe, or surrender. There is no middle way.”

Key anti-ship systems include:

Abu Mahdi cruise missile: Range exceeding 1,000 kilometers

Nasir short-range missile: For precision strikes

Various anti-ship ballistic missiles: Adapted from land-attack variants

Military experts note that Iran possesses one of the region’s most advanced anti-ship missile arsenals, giving it the ability to threaten shipping throughout the Gulf and beyond . This capability is currently being demonstrated in the Strait of Hormuz, where IRGC forces have struck multiple tankers and commercial vessels .

Air Defense Systems
Iran’s air defense network combines Russian systems with indigenous developments:

S-300: Russian-supplied long-range surface-to-air missile system

Bavar-373: Domestically produced system claimed to be comparable to the S-400

Various shorter-range systems: For layered defense

While these systems are not considered state-of-the-art, they can engage targets at long range . However, most of Russia’s systems in Iran have been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes over the past few years, leaving Iran with few air defense assets . The US and Israel now have almost complete control of Iran’s airspace .

Production and Sustainability
Iran’s ability to sustain prolonged conflict depends on its production capacity. The US estimates Iran can produce 100 missiles per month . After the June 2025 war, Israeli military officials say Iran has worked intensively to rebuild its missile production capacity, manufacturing dozens of missiles each month .

Drone production is even more robust. Russia has a daily target of producing up to 1,000 Geran-2 drones (the Russian designation for Shahed variants) this year . While Iranian production figures are not publicly available, the volume of drones launched in the current conflict—more than 1,000 in the first week—suggests substantial stockpiles .

However, there are questions about sustainability. “We don’t know how much stockpile is left or how fast the Americans and Israelis are doing their job. The problem is not just the launchers but also the infrastructure: drone and missile factories,” one Persian Gulf source told The Times .

Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said on Tuesday: “We are observing that their firepower is decreasing. We have been able to limit their ability to fire rockets at us and the region.” However, he conceded this could also be partly due to the fact that the Iranian leadership may be saving weapons stocks in case the war lasts longer .

Strategic Implications
The Cost Calculus
One of the most significant aspects of Iran’s arsenal is the economic asymmetry it creates. The Pentagon has reportedly fired some 400 Tomahawk missiles to intercept Iranian drones and projectiles—an estimated 10 percent of the total US inventory at a cost of some $800 million .

By contrast, $800 million would buy 23,000 LUCAS drones (the US copy of Iran’s Shahed) . Iran’s Shahed-136 costs around $35,000 per unit, while the US Tomahawk used to intercept it costs well over $1 million.

This calculus is unsustainable for Western forces. In 2025, Operation Rough Rider against the Houthis cost almost a billion dollars, with Tomahawk missiles and $1.5 million air-launched cruise missiles fired at cheap projectiles and drones . When inexpensive Russian drones violated Polish airspace, the Netherlands fired AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles from F-35s—catastrophic from a cost perspective .

The Tomahawk Controversy
A bizarre subplot in the current conflict involves President Trump’s claim that Iran possesses American Tomahawk missiles . During a March 9 press conference, Trump alleged that Iran “has some Tomahawks, they wish they had more” .

This statement came amid an investigation into a strike on an Iranian girls’ school in Minab that killed 175 people, many of them children . Video evidence suggests a Tomahawk missile struck a naval base adjacent to the school .

However, according to the Associated Press, there is no evidence that Iran has acquired these cruise missiles . Only a handful of countries possess Tomahawk missiles: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Japan has purchased 400 but is still in the process of equipping its warships .

What to Watch
Stockpile Depletion: How long can Iran sustain its current launch tempo of hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones?

Production Capacity: Can US and Israeli strikes on manufacturing facilities degrade Iran’s ability to replenish stocks?

Hypersonic Deployment: Will Iran deploy Fattah-2 hypersonic missiles, and can Israeli/US defenses intercept them?

Naval Expansion: With 2,654 new naval systems announced, how will Iran’s anti-ship capabilities affect the Strait of Hormuz?

Drone Evolution: What new Shahed variants might emerge as the conflict continues?

The Bottom Line
Iran’s missile and drone arsenal represents one of the most significant military developments of the 21st century. Through necessity and innovation, the Islamic Republic has built an indigenous weapons industry that allows it to project power across the Middle East, threaten global shipping, and impose unsustainable costs on technologically superior adversaries.

The Shahed drone, copied from Iran by the United States, symbolizes a new era in warfare—one where cheap, mass-produced weapons can challenge the most sophisticated and expensive military systems ever built. Iran’s 2,500 missiles and thousands of drones are not just weapons; they are a strategic doctrine that has reshaped the balance of power in the world’s most volatile region.

As the current conflict demonstrates, that doctrine is now being tested in real time—with consequences that will reverberate for decades.