TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that it captured a U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz during an operation early Tuesday.
In Statement No. 12, the IRGC Navy said its forces intercepted the unmanned vehicle through what it described as a “complex intelligence and operational” operation. Iranian state media reported that the vehicle was captured intact and brought under Iranian control. The IRGC said images of the captured system would be released later.
The U.S. military had not publicly confirmed the capture as of September 8. Reuters and other reports said there was no U.S. confirmation of the Iranian claim.
Vehicle identified as Anduril Dive-LD
Iranian state media identified the captured vehicle as the Dive-LD, a large-diameter autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) developed by U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries.
The identification has not been independently confirmed by the U.S. government. However, the Dive-LD is a real U.S. Navy unmanned underwater platform. Anduril says the vehicle is approximately 5.8 meters (19 feet) long, about 1.2 meters (4 feet) in diameter, and designed for autonomous operations lasting up to 10 days. It has a maximum operating depth of about 6,000 meters.
Anduril delivered its first Dive-LD to the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1 (UUVRON-1) in April 2025. The Navy's UUVRON-1 operates autonomous underwater vehicles for a range of undersea missions.
Designed for multiple underwater missions
The Dive-LD has a modular architecture that allows different sensors and payloads to be integrated for specific missions. According to Anduril, its potential defense applications include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and mine warfare.
The company also lists commercial applications such as hydrographic surveying and inspection of underwater pipelines and cables. Its design uses direct-drive electric propulsion and is intended for long-duration autonomous operations.
The platform's published specifications make it capable of operating in both relatively shallow and very deep underwater environments. Its modular payload system is designed to allow different mission equipment to be carried without changing the basic vehicle architecture.
Capture reported amid tensions in Strait of Hormuz
The reported seizure comes as military tensions between Iran and the United States remain high around the Strait of Hormuz. Maritime traffic through the waterway has declined amid the continuing confrontation, with Reuters reporting that only seven commodity vessels passed through the strait on Monday, compared with eight the previous day.
Iran has also threatened further action against U.S. interests in the Gulf and has discussed imposing additional restrictions on shipping through the strategic waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important maritime routes for energy shipments, making military activity in and around the waterway closely watched by governments and shipping companies.
U.S. response remains pending
The IRGC has described the vehicle as an advanced U.S. unmanned underwater system and said it was captured intact. Iranian officials have indicated that the vehicle could be examined for its technology and design.
However, the capture itself, the identity of the vehicle and the circumstances under which it was allegedly seized remain based on the Iranian announcement and have not been independently verified. No public U.S. military confirmation of the reported capture was available as of September 8.
The IRGC said further information and images of the alleged captured vehicle would be released.
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