US Navy claims Iran temporarily seized American sea drone
Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized an American sea drone in the Persian Gulf and tried to tow it away, only releasing the unmanned vessel when a US navy warship and helicopter approached, officials have said.
The incident marks the first time the navy's Middle East-based 5th Fleet's new drone task force has been targeted by Iran.
While the interception ended without incident, tensions reportedly remain high between Washington and Tehran as negotiations over the Islamic Republic's tattered nuclear deal with world powers hang in the balance.
The Guard's Shahid Baziar warship attached a line to the Saildrone Explorer in the central part of the Persian Gulf in international waters late on Monday night, said Commander Timothy Hawkins, a 5th Fleet spokesman.
The vessel then began towing the Saildrone Explorer, which carries cameras, radars and sensors for remotely monitoring the sea, Cmdr Hawkins said.
The USS Thunderbolt, a navy coastal patrol boat, as well as an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter, moved to shadow the Guard's ship.
The navy called the Shahid Baziar by radio to identify the drone as American, Cmdr Hawkins said.
"Our response was one that as such made clear that this was US government property and was operating in international waters and that we had every intention to take action, if necessary," the commander told the Associated Press.
Cmdr Hawkins said the incident ended peacefully after four hours as the Iranians unhooked the tow line to the drone and left the area as the American forces were nearby.
Iran's paramilitary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, did not acknowledge the incident.
Saildrone specifications
The Saildrone Explorer USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) that the Iranians attempted to commandeer is equipped with sensors, radars and cameras for data collection missions.
This technology is available commercially and does not store sensitive or classified information.
The Saildrone Explorer USV has a hull length of 23ft (7m), a wing height of 15ft (5m), and a draft of 6ft (2m).
It can sail at an average speed of 3kt (5.55km/h) and conduct long-endurance missions to collect ocean and climate data over 12 months in open ocean conditions.
The USV is equipped with systems that harness solar and wind energy for operation.
According to the US manufacturers, Saildrone's "global fleet of autonomous vehicles provides cost-effective solutions for in situ data collection in the most remote regions of the ocean and in the harshest conditions".
It added that they "are the most capable, proven, and trusted platforms available for the collection of high-quality ocean data for a wide variety of applications".
Cover image: Video screenshot shows support ship Shahid Baziar, left, from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy unlawfully towing US sea drone (Picture: US Department of Defense).
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