The US has confirmed the loss of an “older model” autonomous underwater drone, following claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that it captured an uncrewed US vehicle at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for US Central Command, said the drone had “malfunctioned more than a day ago” while surveying regional waters in support of ongoing operations.
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“The defective drone was an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment,” Hawkins stated.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that IRGC naval forces conducted what it called a “complex intelligence and operational operation at dawn” to seize the vehicle.
The IRGC described it as “one of the most modern, smart, and unmanned submarines of the US terrorist army.”
Iranian authorities identified the vessel as a Dive-LD, an autonomous underwater drone developed by California-based defence firm Anduril.
Anduril, while confirming that a unit was lost, said the incident had minimal operational significance.
“Dive-LD is an attritable autonomous system, meaning it is designed from the outset to operate in dangerous environments where loss of the vehicle is an expected possibility,” an Anduril spokesperson said, as reported by Reuters.
The Dive-LD is used for missions such as mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, intelligence gathering, and inspection of underwater infrastructure like pipelines and cables.
According to Anduril, the vehicle measures 19ft in length and 4ft in diameter, can operate for up to 10 days without returning to base, and is capable of diving to depths of up to 6,000 metres.
In April 2025, Anduril delivered its first Dive-LD system to the US Navy’s Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1 (UUVRON-1), which oversees research and operations using such autonomous vehicles for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
Each Dive-LD unit costs around $2.5m, DefenseScoop reported in 2024, citing a source.
Earlier this year, Anduril was selected by the US Navy and the Defense Innovation Unit to participate in the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform Project, following a competitive process through the DIU’s Commercial Solutions Opening.
The company had previously completed what it described as the longest XL-AUV demonstration to date.
