Iran Recovers U.S. Underwater Drone After Pentagon Says It Failed

Iranian forces recovered a malfunctioning U.S. Dive-LD underwater drone near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Pentagon, giving Tehran access to the vessel for examination.

The Pentagon told Reuters the older-model drone failed while surveying regional waters. Capt. Tim Hawkins of U.S. Central Command said it collected no sensitive data and carried no classified sonar or radar equipment.

Manufacturer Anduril described Dive-LD as an attritable autonomous system designed for dangerous missions where vehicle loss is possible. The company says the vehicle can operate for up to 10 days.

Australia’s Defence Department used Dive-LD as a Ghost Shark test vehicle.

Hudson Institute analyst Bryan Clark said Iranian engineers could copy its mechanical systems, although software protections may restrict access. Farzin Nadimi of the Washington Institute said it could help the Revolutionary Guard improve its designs.

Iranian missions joked about the loss on X. Iran’s embassy in Ghana called the vehicle fully intact, while its Hyderabad consulate joked about a reverse-engineering “unboxing ceremony.” Neither claim was independently verified.

A White House archive shows President Barack Obama asked Iran to return an RQ-170 drone in 2011. The Navy says it stopped Iranian forces from towing an American Saildrone surface vessel in 2022.

This is a developing story. Virginia Times will update as information becomes available.