Iran says it captured US underwater drone near Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Tuesday that it had seized a US unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the growing use of autonomous systems in military operations.

Iranian state media identified the vessel as a Dive-LD, a 19-foot (5.8-metre) autonomous underwater vehicle developed by California-based defence company Anduril.

The company says the submarine can remain operational for up to 10 days and is designed for missions including mine detection, seabed surveys, intelligence collection and inspections of underwater infrastructure such as pipelines and communication cables.

The Revolutionary Guards Navy said the vessel was among the most advanced unmanned underwater systems operated by the US military and claimed it had been intercepted near the strategic waterway.

The Pentagon, however, said the vehicle had malfunctioned more than a day before it was lost.

A Pentagon spokesperson said the drone had been conducting surveys of regional waters in support of ongoing US operations but was an older model that did not gather sensitive information or carry classified sonar or radar equipment.

Anduril confirmed that one of its underwater vehicles had been lost but played down the importance of the incident.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key global shipping route, particularly for energy supplies, and has become a major focus of military operations and tensions in the region.

“Dive-LD is an attritable autonomous system, meaning it is designed from the outset to operate in dangerous environments where loss of the vehicle is an expected possibility,” a company spokesperson said.

The U.S. military is investing heavily in unmanned naval systems, including underwater and surface vessels, as it seeks cheaper ways to monitor vast areas of ocean, gather intelligence and track adversary ships and submarines without putting sailors at risk.

According to Anduril’s website, Dive-LD can operate for up to 10 days without returning to base and is designed to dive to depths of as much as 6,000 metres (19,700 feet). Dive-LD units cost about $2.5 million each, U.S. military news site DefenseScoop reported in 2024.