Iran has captured a $2.5 million US Navy underwater drone sub called the Anduril Dive-LD near the Strait of Hormuz, parading it on state TV. While the US Central Command claims the drone malfunctioned before capture, Iranian forces are likely to study its technology extensively for reverse engineering or seeking Russian assistance in developing similar capabilities. The captured drone could potentially provide Iran with insights into navigation, communication systems, and sensors used for reconnaissance and mine-clearing operations.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Iran is about to get a crash course in American drone sub technology — and a shot at building its own copy of a $2.5 million US Navy underwater drone its forces captured and paraded on state TV.
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forces → get → TV
The Revolutionary Guard claimed Tuesday it had seized the Anduril Dive-LD near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
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it → claim → Hormuz
But US Central Command said the sub had malfunctioned and was “essentially dead in the water for more than a day” before the Iranians grabbed it.
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Iranians → say → it
“We will lose exquisite (and not so exquisite) tech when employing it against adversaries,” said retired Army Major Gen. Gordon B. “Skip” Davis of the Center for European Policy Analysis.
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Davis → lose → Analysis
Sophisticated adversaries like Iran “have the capability to reverse engineer material designs and some of the electronics,” he said, though its encrypted software is probably out of reach.
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software → have → reach
“The defective drone was an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment,” said CENTCOM spokesman Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins.
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Hawkins → collect → equipment
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps used considerably more dramatic language to claim it got the drone in a “complex intelligence and operational mastermind operation at dawn today”.
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it → use → dawn
The 19-foot, 3-ton autonomous sub can dive nearly 20,000 feet and is built for reconnaissance, mine-clearing and hunting enemy subs.
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sub → dive → subs
Experts say there is little doubt Iran will learn all it can from it and may even try to build its own.
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it → say → own
Even if they can’t replicate the drone, Iran could try to “leverage the captured tech with Russia for support to develop a more sophisticated domestic” capability, said Davis.
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Davis → replicate → capability
Federico Borsari, a CEPA fellow focused on transatlantic defense, said Iranians could study the drone’s power supply, navigation, communications, sonar and optical sensors used for hunting mines.
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Iranians → focus → mines
“That could help Iran improve its own underwater drones or develop ways of detecting and disrupting US vehicles in the future,” he said.
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he → help → future
The biggest risk, said naval warfare specialist Steven Wills of the Center for Maritime Strategy, is that Iran could use the sub “to penetrate US data networks that support such drone operations.”
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that → say → operations
“That’s of more value than the drone itself, unless it carried some payload of use to the Iranians,” he said.
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he → ’ → Iranians
Iran has tried to feed its own arsenal by seizing the latest Western technology.
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Iran → try → technology
That’s what it did when it tried to capture a US reconnaissance drone in 2011.
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it → ’ → 2011
It tried to tow away a high-tech Saildrone, or surface drone, in 2022 — only to back away after the US military intervened.
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military → try → 2022
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed this week it just destroyed a “Saildrone-type” craft, which relies on wind and solar power, “thwarting its aggressive mission” – although a US official told The Post “all of our Saildrones are accounted for and fully operational.”
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Report → claim → news
The US and Iran have been trading strikes while President Trump demands Iran reopen the strait and end its nuclear program.
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Iran → trade → program
With most of its own navy destroyed and Tehran facing new sanctions meant to strangle its economy, Iran isn’t in a good position to take full advantage of its find, said Fred Fleitz, who spent 19 years at the CIA and serves as vice chair for national security at the America First Policy Institute.
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who → destroy → Institute
“It’s a cost of doing business, especially this type of drone that’s designed to operate in dangerous areas,” he said.
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he → ’ → areas
“When you go to war you’re going to lose equipment.
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you → go → equipment
As we use more and more drones, these things are going to happen.”
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things → use → drones
Iran has captured a $2.5 million Navy undersea drone.
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Iran → capture → drone
Experts say it could use the captured sub to try to reproduce its own.
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it → say → sub
SEPAHNEWS.COM/AFP via Getty Images
The sub can dive up to 20,000 feet.
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sub → dive → feet
Reverse-engineering it would be a challenge, and officials say its software is likely encrypted.
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software → Reverse → it
SEPAHNEWS.COM/AFP via Getty Images
Iran, which is known for its public displays of propaganda, has tried to make hay out of obtaining the drone sub.
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which → know → sub
An Anduril Dive-LD, similar to the one pictured, was captured by Iran's IRGC.
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LD → picture → IRGC
"We will lose exquisite (and not so exquisite) tech when employing it against adversaries," said retired Army Major Gen. Gordon B. "Skip" Davis of the Center for European Policy Analysis.
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Davis → lose → Analysis
