Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said it has seized an advanced U.S. military underwater drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement on the 27th, the IRGC Navy said it had succeeded in capturing an advanced U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle that was conducting espionage in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the action as a sophisticated joint operation built on superior intelligence and electronic warfare capabilities.
The captured vehicle was identified as the Remus 600, a highly automated unmanned underwater vehicle. The IRGC said it had confiscated the equipment and deployed specialists to extract and restore internal data.
The IRGC also warned that it was formally declaring the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and would respond firmly and forcefully to any dangerous movements or unauthorized passage within the strait.
On the 8th of this month, the IRGC also claimed it had seized a Dive-LD, an advanced U.S. military smart unmanned underwater vehicle, at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Remus 600 reported to have been seized this time is an advanced autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) operated by the U.S. Navy and others for multiple purposes. It can dive to depths of up to 600 meters and is used for mine detection, seabed mapping, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
The vehicle has a torpedo-shaped body measuring about 3.25 meters in length and uses a modular design that allows sensors such as sonar and cameras to be swapped depending on the mission. On a single charge, it can operate underwater autonomously for up to 70 hours.
