TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Sunday that it had seized a second U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) operating in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Iranian state media, the vehicle was identified as a REMUS 600 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The IRGC said the system was conducting what it described as espionage activities and was intercepted during a coordinated operation involving intelligence tracking and electronic warfare capabilities.
The IRGC said the captured vehicle has been handed over to specialists, who are working to recover its internal data and examine the information stored on the system.
Second U.S. underwater vehicle seized this month
The incident follows the IRGC's announcement on September 8 that it had captured another U.S. autonomous underwater vehicle, identified as an Anduril Dive-LD, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Dive-LD is approximately 5.8 meters long and was designed for long-duration operations in deep waters. U.S. Central Command said at the time that the vehicle had malfunctioned more than a day before Iran announced its recovery while surveying regional waters. The U.S. military said it had not collected sensitive data and did not carry classified sonar or radar equipment.
REMUS 600
The REMUS 600 is a torpedo-shaped autonomous underwater vehicle used for missions including mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, surveys and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Public specifications list an operating depth of up to 600 meters, a diameter of about 32.4 centimeters and a length of roughly 3.2 to 3.8 meters, depending on configuration. Its endurance can vary according to speed, payload and battery configuration, with published figures ranging from about 24 to 70 hours.
The vehicle has a modular payload architecture and can carry equipment such as side-scan sonar, cameras, navigation systems and other sensors.
Iranian officials said specialists are now examining the captured vehicle and attempting to extract its stored data. However, Iran has not publicly detailed the specific payload or mission configuration of the REMUS 600 involved in the latest incident.
Strait of Hormuz tensions
The latest seizure comes amid continuing tensions between Iran and the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important maritime chokepoint for international shipping and energy supplies.
The IRGC said it would continue responding to what it describes as dangerous activities and unauthorized passage through the waterway. Iran has also maintained restrictions on certain vessel traffic through the strait during the ongoing regional tensions.
As of September 27, no formal U.S. military response specifically addressing Iran’s claim of seizing the REMUS 600 had been reported.
——— End of Article ———
