File image.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on September 27 that its naval forces had captured a United States unmanned underwater vehicle operating in the Strait of Hormuz, identifying it as a REMUS 600.
In a statement, the IRGC Navy said the vehicle was seized in a coordinated operation involving intelligence and electronic warfare capabilities and that Iranian specialists were examining it to recover data.
The incident marks the second time this month that Iran has claimed to have taken control of a U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle in the area. On September 8, the IRGC said it had captured an Anduril Dive-LD near the entrance to the strait. Back then, U.S. Central Command acknowledged the loss of an underwater drone, saying it had malfunctioned while supporting operations in regional waters and did not carry classified sonar or radar equipment.
The REMUS 600 is a torpedo-shaped autonomous underwater vehicle developed by Hydroid, a company now owned by Norwegian Kongsberg.
The unmanned underwater vehicle is about 4 meters long and 32.4 centimeters in diameter, weighs roughly 240 kilograms and can operate to depths of 600 meters. It is reported to have an endurance of nearly 70 hours, a maximum speed of about 5 knots and a range of up to 286 nautical miles, depending on configuration and mission profile.
The modular design of the REMUS 600 allows different sensors and payloads to be installed for missions including mine detection, seabed mapping, hydrographic surveys and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
U.S. Navy variants known as the Mk 18 Kingfish have been used for mine detection and other undersea sensing missions, with the vehicle able to operate largely autonomously while navigating with onboard systems and acoustic or satellite communications.
The reported seizure comes as the United States and Iran continue a confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz, where both sides have increasingly employed unmanned maritime systems.
Iran has maintained that the waterway is closed to unauthorized traffic, while Washington has challenged the restrictions and continued naval activity in the region.
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