Iran’s IRGC Navy Claims Capture of US Underwater Drone Near Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy says it has seized a US Remus 600 underwater vehicle, known to the US military as the Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish, near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy says it has captured a US autonomous underwater vehicle close to the Strait of Hormuz, a claim that, if accurate, would put advanced American undersea technology in Iranian hands at one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints.
According to the IRGC Navy, its forces today recovered a Remus 600 unmanned underwater vehicle. Iran identified the system by its US military designation, the Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish. These torpedo‑shaped vehicles are used for tasks such as mine countermeasures, seafloor mapping and reconnaissance. Iran says the platform was operating near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage between the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which a large share of global seaborne oil exports passes.
There has been no public confirmation from the United States of the reported capture or the circumstances in which the vehicle was lost. The IRGC has previously highlighted seizures of Western unmanned assets in air and sea domains. This latest claim stands out because it involves an advanced underwater system close to a waterway that has been central to recent tensions over energy security and shipping.
If the Remus 600 is indeed in Iranian hands, the US would face both operational and intelligence concerns. Physical access to the vehicle could allow Iranian specialists to study its sensors, software and navigation methods and to adjust their own tactics or technology in response. It would also provide Tehran with a concrete example of US undersea activity in contested waters.
For commercial shipping, the incident adds another layer of uncertainty to already crowded and tense sea lanes. The same waters where the IRGC says it can intercept a US military system are the route used daily by oil and gas tankers. Operators and insurers factor in not only the risk of direct attack but also the danger of miscalculation as military and paramilitary forces operate in close proximity.
The next signals to watch will be whether Washington acknowledges the loss and seeks the vehicle’s return, how prominently Iranian state media showcases the captured system, and whether Gulf navies alter their patrol and surveillance patterns around Hormuz in response to the claim.
Sources
- OSINT