Video circulating on social media appears to show a U.S. Navy Saildrone unmanned surface vessel (USV) on fire, reportedly in the Strait of Hormuz earlier today.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that its forces targeted and destroyed the unmanned vessel near the entrance to the Strait. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has not publicly confirmed the loss, and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
Saildrone USVs are designed for persistent maritime surveillance and can carry sensors supporting maritime domain awareness, undersea detection and ocean mapping. Their ability to operate autonomously for extended periods makes them particularly useful for monitoring chokepoints and other contested maritime environments.
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