Aircraft & UAVs

Ababil-5 UAV

Also known as
  • Ababil 5
  • Ababil-V
  • Ababil V
  • AB-V
  • AB V
  • Ababil (Flock of Birds)-V

The Ababil-5 is an Iranian fixed-wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle unveiled during Iran's 2022 Army Day parade. Current source-backed coverage centers on Iranian service, reconnaissance and strike exercises, and carriage of Almas and Qaem-family munitions, while conflict reporting usually points to older Ababil-family aircraft.

Ababil-5 UAV, Unmanned combat aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: Wikimedia Commons HESA Ababil-5 UAV image
Profile / Specs

Specifications

Role
Reconnaissance and strike UCAV
Configuration
Fixed-wing pusher-propeller UAV with twin-boom tail surfaces and retractable nose landing gear reported in imagery analysis
Armament
Observed or reported with Almas missiles, Qaem-class bombs, and Arman-1 bombs; open sources describe up to six air-to-surface stores
Speed
About 200-210 km/h
Endurance
Up to 12 hours in combat mode and 24 hours in reconnaissance mode
Range
More than 480 km in Iranian parade coverage; later open-source analysis estimated up to 2,400 km
Ceiling
About 6,000-7,000 m
Payload
ISWNews estimates up to 150 kg weapons payload and two hardpoints
Airframe And Payload Notes

Open-source reporting describes Ababil-5 as a larger Ababil-family aircraft adapted for reconnaissance and strike missions. Public specifications remain partly estimated, so the useful distinction is the combination of Ababil-family tail geometry, Mohajer-6-like nose and payload layout, and small precision munitions.

Designation

Ababil-5, Ababil-V, and AB-V refer to the same 2022 aircraft in source reporting.

Mission set

Press TV and ISWNews describe Iranian service use across reconnaissance, surveillance, combat, signal collection, and exercise strike roles.

Carried stores

Iran Press and ISWNews identify Almas missiles and Qaem-class bombs as Ababil-5 weapons, with Arman-1 bombs also observed in ISWNews imagery analysis.

Variants

Ababil-5, Ababil-V, and AB-V are reported as alternate designations for the same aircraft. The linked row below gives adjacent Ababil-family context rather than a separate Ababil-5 subvariant.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Ababil-3 UAV, Unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVsAbabil-3 UAVEarlier Ababil-family UAV

Iran Press described Ababil-5 as continuing the Ababil UAV line, while ISWNews places it as a later Ababil-family reconnaissance/combat UAV with design cues from earlier Ababil models and Mohajer-6.

Sources: Iran Press Ababil-5 article, ISWNews Ababil-5 reconnaissance combat drone

Carried Munitions

Ababil-5 open-source coverage emphasizes the aircraft as a reconnaissance-and-strike UAV carrying small precision weapons in Iranian service and exercises.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
Almas anti-tank guided missile, Anti-tank guided missile family, Infantry WeaponsAlmas anti-tank guided missileAir-launched anti-tank guided missile

Iran Press reported that Almas missiles were successfully launched from Ababil-5 during the final day of the Prophet Muhammad military exercise.

Sources: Iran Press Prophet Muhammad exercise report

Qaem smart bomb, Guided glide bomb family, MunitionsQaem smart bombGuided glide bomb family

Iran Press and ISWNews identify Qaem-class bombs as Ababil-5 carried stores, with ISWNews reporting carriage of six Ghaem-1 bombs or four Ghaem-5 bombs.

Sources: Iran Press Ababil-5 article, ISWNews Ababil-5 reconnaissance combat drone

Timeline

Ababil-5 UAV Key Events

  1. Ababil-5 shown at Army Day parade

    Iran Press reported that three Ababil-5 drones were displayed during Iran's April 18, 2022 parade, with imagery showing Qaem-class bombs and Diamond/Almas-style missile launchers.

    Sources: Iran Press Ababil-5 article

  2. Ababil-5 appears in Army drone drill reporting

    Press TV reported that Ababil-5 drones were among the Iranian Army unmanned aircraft flown from different bases during the 1402 joint drone exercise.

    Sources: Press TV Army drone drill report

  3. Iranian Army receives Ababil-5 aircraft

    Press TV reported a delivery ceremony for Iranian Army drones that included Ababil-4 and Ababil-5 aircraft for reconnaissance, surveillance, electronic warfare, combat, and signal-collection missions.

    Sources: Press TV Iranian Army drone delivery

  4. Qaem and Almas launches reported in exercise

    Iran Press reported that Qaem and Almas weapons were launched from Mohajer-6 and Ababil-5 drones during the Prophet Muhammad military exercise.

    Sources: Iran Press Prophet Muhammad exercise report

Media

Ababil-5 UAV Images

Ababil-5 UAV, Unmanned combat aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons HESA Ababil-5 parade image
Related Weapon Systems
Iranian anti-aircraft artillery, Gun-based short-range air defense artillery, Air DefenseAir DefenseIranian anti-aircraft artilleryGun-based short-range air defense artilleryIranian anti-aircraft artillery is an aggregate category for gun-based air-defense systems in Iranian service, including ZU-23-2 and Mesbah 23 mm weapons, Oerlikon-derived 35 mm Samavat guns, and older heavy-caliber systems. The record is most directly documented in the 1988 Tanker War phase of the 1980 Iran-Iraq War, where a Sassan platform 23 mm gun mount engaged U.S. forces, and in the 2020 United States-Iran Conflict, where ZU-23-2-type guns appeared as low-altitude point-defense threats and strike targets.

Sources

Iran Press Ababil-5 articlePublisher: Iran Press | Note: Supports the April 2022 unveiling, Ababil-family context, observed Qaem-class bombs and Diamond/Almas-style launchers, reported range, and general reconnaissance/strike role. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Iran Press Prophet Muhammad exercise reportPublisher: Iran Press | Note: Supports Iran Press reporting that Qaem and Almas weapons were launched from Mohajer-6 and Ababil-5 during the final day of the Prophet Muhammad military exercise. | Accessed: 2026-07-01ISWNews Ababil-5 reconnaissance combat dronePublisher: Islamic World News | Note: Supports Ababil-5 as an Iranian reconnaissance/combat UCAV, Ababil-V/AB-V aliases, Ababil-family placement, airframe layout, Qaem/Almas/Arman-1 stores, electro-optical and engine notes, and estimated performance figures. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Military Factory HESA Ababil-5Publisher: Military Factory | Note: Supports HESA as contractor, the aircraft's UCAV type, total production estimate, basic dimensions, speed, ceiling, and air-to-surface armament context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Iran Primer Roster of Iran's DronesPublisher: The Iran Primer / United States Institute of Peace | Note: Supports Ababil-5 as an Artesh-operated Iranian combat/ISR UAV unveiled in 2022, with reported guided anti-tank missile or precision-guided bomb armament. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Press TV Army drone drill reportPublisher: Press TV | Note: Supports Ababil-5 participation in the Iranian Army's 1402 joint drone exercise and reporting that Army drones monitored frontiers, international waters, and exercise targets. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Press TV Iranian Army drone deliveryPublisher: Press TV | Note: Supports the January 2024 delivery of Ababil-4 and Ababil-5 drones to the Iranian Army, their reported mission categories, and Iranian Defense Ministry/Army production context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Wikimedia Commons HESA Ababil-5 UAV imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and CC BY 4.0 licensing for an Ababil-5 UAV on display at Iran's National Army Day parade in Tehran. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Wikimedia Commons HESA Ababil-5 parade imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and CC BY 4.0 licensing for an Ababil-5 drone on display at Iran's National Army Day parade in Tehran. | Accessed: 2026-07-01