UK Builds Replica of Iranian Shahed-136 Strike Drones to Prepare Troops for Modern Drone Warfare

British Army air defense units are conducting training exercises focused on detecting and intercepting drones modeled after the Shahed-136 loitering munition, according to reporting highlighted by Italian defense analyst Gabriele Molinelli on March 22.

The training uses specially developed unmanned aerial vehicles created under the Pj EFFINGO program. The initiative includes two types of drones designed to closely replicate real-world threats, allowing air defense crews to train under more realistic conditions.

Within the British Army, one of these systems has been designated PARTRIDGE and is already in active use during exercises.

A replica drone was recently demonstrated to King Charles III during his visit to Thorney Island in Hampshire, where the Army’s 7 Air Defence Group—the service’s only dedicated air defense formation—conducts its training.

The UK military has been rapidly strengthening its counter-drone capabilities, with a particular focus on missile-based interception systems. The primary solution currently in use is the Martlet missile, also known as the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM).

The system is highly adaptable and can be deployed from aircraft, portable launchers, and both mobile and fixed platforms.

British forces have already deployed Martlet-equipped systems to the Middle East, where they have reportedly been used to intercept Iranian drones.

The Martlet missile can reach speeds of around Mach 1.5 and has an engagement range of approximately 8 to 9 kilometers. It weighs about 13 kilograms and measures roughly 1.3 meters in length, making it compact enough for use in man-portable air defense systems.

Its size and versatility allow helicopters and small naval vessels to carry multiple missiles at once, making it particularly effective against drones, fast attack craft, and lightly armored targets.

The training effort reflects a broader shift among Western militaries toward preparing for the growing role of low-cost drones in modern warfare.

Earlier, reports emerged that Poland was entering the final stages of developing a national drone designed to serve as an equivalent to the Iranian-made Shahed.

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