Breaking: Iran news agency releases first images of captured U.S. stealthy drone

December 8, 2011 Captured Stealth Drone, Drones, Iran, Military Aviation
David Cenciotti

Here they are.

The first images released by an Iran news agency of what should be the U.S. RQ-170 drone crash landed in Iran on Sunday. Noteworthy, the drone wears a sort of desert color scheme much different from the dark grey one applied to the example photographed years ago at Kandahar airbase. According to sources  the recovery team couldn’t find it to blow it up before it went into Iranian hands.

A video is available here (you’ll find some screenshots below, showing Iranian soldiers inspecting the almost intact robot).

Update: for those asking if it is a fake. No, I think it’s real. If it was fake they would do it in dark grey (as in all available pics to date).

About David Cenciotti
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David Cenciotti is a freelance journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

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2 Comments

  1. Yeah, self destuct. DUH! Did anyone notice the Tub and Tile calk at the wing roots. The bottom is also covered probably because of damage from landing wheels up.

    This is another uncredited example of the advanced, Lifting Fuselage deisgn by American designer, Vincent Burnelli. Not a pure wing, it has a central body that gives more lift and more stability than a pure wing. Compare Burnelli’s 1951 design model to this UAV and see other designs here… http://www.burnelli.com/wp/history

  2. it is a fake. this drohns are made for “gliding’ , means high ratio of lift by the wings, so the use aof fuel is low. thats why they can stay “forever” on watch. the picture ones looks like a “plane” with quite short wings, none coupled elevator and balance assy. So the only way to fly is by jet- engines , because they produce the high amount of power to push it anyway. Not too good for a drohne. Not quiet. they use propellers. And.. here it is: where is
    /been the Pitot Probes?? there is nothing to see. should be on the “nose”. even not damage points or left overs.
    More: Air intake for the engine(s) is where? not below, because too much reflection of RADAR. Nope. the grid on top, looks like a “window”? nope. cant be. Because a drohne has a high- gain Antenna for bi- derectional SAT- signal. this antennas need be surtin sized. (big) On a “predator” the most of the Front hub is used for it. So in that case, there is an antenna in that “cockpit” ithe the window, where are the engines. or where is the antenna?
    thanks for your comments

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