IRGC Claims It Captured Two U.S. MQM-170 Drones South of Qeshm

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on November 2 that its Aerospace Force had captured two American MQM-170 drones south of Qeshm Island using electronic-warfare systems. The corps described them as reconnaissance aircraft and said the captures brought its claimed total to four. The statement is an Iranian account, rather than independent confirmation of American aircraft losses. The IRGC’s public-relations announcement described the operation as having happened moments earlier. It attributed the capture to its Aerospace Force’s electronic-warfare capabilities. Its text did not identify the aircraft by serial number, name an American operating unit or give precise coordinates for the alleged encounter. The announcement follows an earlier Iranian claim on October 29. Footage accompanying that claim appeared to show a largely intact U.S.-made MQM-170C Outlaw G2. Outlaw-series aircraft are principally used by the United States as aerial targets in training and testing. That assessment concerned the aircraft in the earlier footage and does not establish the identity or mission of the two aircraft claimed on November 2. Asked on October 29 whether U.S. Central Command could confirm or deny losing an MQM-170, spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins replied: “We’re not going to waste our time.” He accused the IRGC of repeatedly lying and did not explicitly confirm or deny that earlier loss. Those comments addressed the October 29 claim; they were not a response to the new announcement.