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WDS 2026: Pakistan Unveils Shahpar-II Block II MALE Drone With Integrated Strike Capability.
Pakistan’s state-owned Global Industrial & Defence Solutions revealed the Shahpar-II Block II unmanned aircraft, a medium-altitude long-endurance platform designed for surveillance and strike missions.
At the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s state-owned defense organization Global Industrial & Defence Solutions introduced the Shahpar-II Block II unmanned aircraft, highlighting the country’s continuing investment in indigenous medium-altitude long-endurance aviation. The exhibition, held in Riyadh, has become a venue where regional and international suppliers outline their latest programs, and the Pakistani system drew attention for combining surveillance functions with an integrated weapons architecture.
Pakistan used the World Defense Show in Riyadh to unveil the Shahpar-II Block II unmanned aircraft, presenting it as a domestically developed MALE platform that combines persistent surveillance with an integrated strike capability (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)
The Shahpar-II Block II is presented as a MALE platform designed around a modular airframe that blends composite materials with metallic elements. According to the manufacturer, the configuration aims to refine aerodynamic efficiency while facilitating maintenance and future upgrades. The aircraft is capable of autonomous takeoff and landing and relies on a robust autopilot arrangement coupled with a mission planning and management environment intended to simplify operator workload. Data connectivity is supported by reliable links allowing the integration of multiple electro-optical payload families as well as strike options.
From a systems perspective, the drone incorporates optimized structural shaping, dual-redundant avionics and navigation suites, and triple-redundant communications links. This layered approach is meant to reinforce operational resilience during long sorties. Optional mission equipment can include communications intelligence, electronic intelligence, synthetic aperture radar, and high-definition electro-optical or infrared sensors. Additional operational features such as asymmetric landing and takeoff logic, a mid-air engine restart function, and retractable landing gear are part of the baseline configuration described by the company.
Weapon integration is a central element of the Block II standard. The platform is advertised with four underwing hardpoints and a total external load of up to 120 kilograms. Among the compatible effectors, laser-guided munitions are cited with a circular error probability below 1.5 meters. GIDS also emphasizes the possibility of incorporating third-party payloads or weapons, an aspect that can be significant for export customers seeking compatibility with existing inventories.
Ground infrastructure is another pillar of the offering. Advanced Ground Data Terminals are paired with a user-oriented control station able to supervise two unmanned aircraft at the same time. Satellite connectivity and the presence of an air traffic control transponder are intended to ease integration into broader airspace frameworks, a requirement increasingly discussed as MALE systems are asked to operate beyond segregated military corridors.
Performance figures released during the event indicate a wingspan of about 35 feet and a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 1,100 kilograms. Line-of-sight control is quoted at more than 250 kilometers, while beyond-line-of-sight operations can extend to roughly 1,500 kilometers depending on the communications architecture. The altitude ceiling is set at around 25,000 feet in an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance configuration and about 22,000 feet when armed. Endurance is presented as surpassing 20 hours for ISR missions, decreasing to approximately 15 hours with a 60-kilogram payload and around 12 hours at maximum weapon load. Propulsion is provided by a 140-horsepower turbocharged engine.
World Defense Show, organized in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, serves as a platform linking governments, armed forces, and industry stakeholders across land, air, sea, space, and security domains. For participants, it offers an opportunity to frame national industrial ambitions while engaging potential partners and clients. Within this environment, GIDS positions the Shahpar-II as a domestically developed answer to a segment traditionally dominated by a limited number of suppliers.
Through the presentation in Riyadh, the Pakistani organization underscored its intention to compete in the expanding market for multi-role unmanned aircraft. By combining extended endurance, modular sensors, and a defined strike capacity, the Shahpar-II Block II is portrayed as adaptable to border surveillance, counterinsurgency, and conventional support missions. The unveiling at an international gathering reinforces Islamabad’s effort to showcase maturing aerospace competencies while inviting dialogue with prospective users abroad.