Iran claims to down US MQ-1 drone that 'entered Iranian territory': What are its features and how powerful is it | WION Decodes

Iran on Sunday (May 31) claimed to have shot down a US drone that entered Iran’s territorial waters. Iran’s IRIB broadcaster, carried a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in which it said that the MQ1 drone “attempted to carry out a hostile operation but was immediately detected and targeted.” The statement added that the drone was shot down by “Revolutionary Guard’s modern defense missiles.” IRGC also issued additional warning saying that “any aggression will be dealt with decisively.” Earlier, the IRGC declared that it retained the "legitimate and definite" right to respond to any violation of the ceasefire by the United States. This comes after US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces. Till now, Iran and the US has not been able to strike a deal to end the war.

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What is MQ1 drone?

The US MQ-1 Predator is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. It is one of the world's first widely recognised military drones capable of both long-endurance surveillance and precision strikes. It is capable of airborne for more than 24 hours and was adapted to carry two AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. It requires a ground crew for takeoff and landing via a line-of-sight signal. Once airborne, control is handed over to a remote pilot and two sensor operators in a stateside ground control station via satellite data links.

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Introduced in the mid-1990s, the Predator transitioned the role of drones from mere observation to active engagement. It saw extensive combat in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen, allowing the US to track and engage time-sensitive targets without risking a pilot's life. While the US Air Force officially retired the MQ-1 Predator in favor of the heavier, faster, and more heavily armed MQ-9 Reaper in 2018, the aircraft remains in limited international service.