- 2011 RQ‑170 incident: On December 5, 2011, Iran’s cyber/electronic warfare units captured a legitimate U.S. RQ‑170 Sentinel stealth UAV by overriding its controls, forcing it to land largely intact in northeastern Iran eurasiantimes.com+14en.wikipedia.org+14en.wikipedia.org+14.
- Iran publicly stated it was reverse‑engineering the drone. By 2014, state TV showcased a replica, and in 2016-17, unveiled Iran‑made versions: the Shahed 171 “Simorgh” and Shahed 191/“Saegheh” iranintl.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia-on-ipfs.org+15.
✅ Drone Types Mentioned
- Shahed 171 Simorgh: A larger, jet-powered adaptation modeled on the RQ‑170 en.wikipedia.org+7en.wikipedia.org+7eurasiantimes.com+7.
- Shahed 191/“Saegheh”: A smaller, combat-capable flying-wing UCAV, air-launched and torqued by Iran; operational since 2016 world-defence.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15.
- Shahed 181: A version of the Saegheh observed during Iranian drills, with a ~1,500 km range .
All three derive from the captured RQ‑170’s airframe and basic design ifmat.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15.
⚠️ Caveats on Stealth & Capabilities
- While these drones mimic the RQ‑170’s shape, independent experts (including Israeli military sources) note Iran lacks critical stealth materials and advanced avionics, so capabilities are partial en.wikipedia.org+15defensenews.com+15twz.com+15.
- Some are armed with guided munitions like the Sadid-1 en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4theaviationist.com+4.
🛩️ Sightings & Claims
- Recent sightings over Iran and “occupied Palestine” match the airframe of Shahed 171/181/191, not U.S. or Israeli stealth craft.
- Israeli officials in 2018 confirmed that a drone downed over Golan resembled Iran’s Shahed 171 and Saegheh models—not an American stealth bomber reddit.com+11defensenews.com+11en.wikipedia.org+11.
🧭 Overall Takeaway
- Claim: Drone spotted is one of Iran’s reverse-engineered Saegheh models (Shahed 171/181/191)?
✅ Correct. - Claim: These are reverse-engineered versions of the RQ‑170 with ~1,500 km range?
✅ Supported by multiple credible sources . - Claim: It wasn’t an American stealth bomber or Israeli drone?
✅ Plausible, as shape and sourcing point to Iranian drones.
🔎 Summary Table
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| Drone is not U.S./Israeli stealth craft | ✅ True – shape matches Iranian drones |
| It is Shahed 171, 181, or 191 drone | ✅ Supported by design match and range |
| Reverse-engineered from RQ‑170 captured in 2011 | ✅ Confirmed by multiple credible sources |
| Range ~1,500 km | ✅ Within reported specs for Saegheh series |
