The core technological narrative surrounding the Shahed-161 is Iran's continued reliance on, and evolution of, technology purportedly derived from the captured American RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone in 2011. While the Shahed-161 is a distinct model—smaller and likely jet-powered, with some reports indicating a micro-jet engine—it falls under the broader family of Iranian flying-wing UAVs (including the Shahed-171 and Shahed-191) which are widely considered to be direct descendants of the RQ-170 reverse-engineering project. This narrative is significant because it allows Iran to project an image of self-reliance and technological prowess, leveraging a major intelligence coup to leapfrog domestic development hurdles imposed by decades of international sanctions. This process of acquiring, reverse-engineering, and adapting foreign technology has become a hallmark of Iran's military-industrial complex, demonstrating an adaptive and resilient approach to defense production under immense pressure.
