Iran says it captured US submarine drone in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards claim to have captured a U.S. uncrewed underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon confirmed a malfunction of an older model drone but did not address the capture claim.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the increasing use of autonomous underwater vehicles in geopolitical hotspots and the risks associated with military technology failures.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday it had captured a U.S. uncrewed submarine at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz , offering a rare glimpse into how underwater drones are being used in military operations.
Iranian state media said the vessel was a Dive-LD , a large autonomous underwater vehicle built by California defense firm Anduril . The 19-foot (5.8-metre) submersible can carry out missions including mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, intelligence gathering and the inspection of underwater infrastructure such as cables and pipelines, the company has said.
“We trapped one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines of the terrorist American army at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. This submersible is equipped with the latest technologies,” the Revolutionary Guards Navy said in a statement carried by Iranian state media.
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