Iran’s Underground Drone Arsenal Emerges as a Potential New Trump Card in the War
Iran is showcasing its underground drone infrastructure as Tehran seeks to preserve and expand its military capabilities amid the war, raising questions over how effectively airstrikes can degrade its weapons production network.
On October 22, Iranian state television aired footage of Army Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami visiting what authorities described as an underground drone manufacturing facility. Hatami said Iran had expanded its production centers and maintained substantial reserves, but the facility’s exact location and the footage’s recording date could not be independently verified.
The development draws renewed attention to Iran’s Strategic Drone Base 313, first publicly unveiled in May 2022. Iranian state media said the facility, hidden deep inside the Zagros Mountains, housed approximately 100 drones, although the inventory has not been independently confirmed.
The arsenal displayed at the time included Ababil-5, Fotros and Kaman-22 unmanned aircraft, alongside the Heidar-1 and Heidar-2 cruise missiles. Iranian media reported that the Heidar-1 had a range of around 200 kilometers and could be launched from a drone
These systems serve different roles, from surveillance and reconnaissance to precision strikes. Iran’s broader drone fleet also includes the Mohajer-6, a platform designed for reconnaissance and armed missions, and the Shahed series of one-way attack drones.
Underground facilities could help shield equipment and production infrastructure from direct airstrikes, while dispersed manufacturing and stored weapons could complicate efforts to eliminate Iran’s drone capabilities. However, underground locations do not guarantee immunity from attack, and the actual condition of Iran’s production network remains unclear.
Iran’s potential strategic advantage may lie not in a single secret base, but in its ability to sustain drone production, preserve reserves and continue launching relatively inexpensive unmanned aircraft during a prolonged conflict.
Whether this underground network can replenish battlefield losses at a meaningful rate remains unverified. But if Iran retains sufficient production capacity, its drones could remain a persistent challenge for US and allied forces even after major strikes against visible military targets.