Foreign Relations

CENTCOM Says Underwater Drone Malfunctioned Before Iran Claimed Capture

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Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of a partially submerged autonomous underwater vehicle suspended from a hoist in turquoise water, drawn in warm ochre and slate-blue pastel with cross-hatching on sepia newsprint.

U.S. Central Command said a U.S.-operated underwater drone malfunctioned while surveying regional waters, more than a day before Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had seized the craft near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins described the Dive-LD as an older model that carried no classified sonar or radar equipment and did not collect sensitive data. The Pentagon's statement did not say whether Iran obtained the vehicle, while Reuters said it could not independently verify Tehran's claim. Anduril lists the 5.8-meter system with up to 10 days of endurance and a 6,000-meter depth rating.

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