Iran Claims Strike on U.S. Saildrone Explorer During Surveillance Mission Near Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s IRGC Navy claims it struck a US-operated Saildrone Explorer that Tehran says was conducting a surveillance mission near the Strait of Hormuz. If confirmed, the incident would show the growing exposure of persistent US unmanned surveillance platforms operating around the Gulf’s main strategic chokepoint.

The 7-meter Saildrone Explorer, identified by Iran as hull 5838, is a wind-propelled unmanned surface vessel able to remain at sea for more than 12 months while carrying radar, cameras, AIS equipment and satellite communications, and the US Navy has previously deployed the type with Task Force 59 in the Arabian Gulf. The claim comes days after Iran said it recovered a US Anduril Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle in the same area, while US officials acknowledged the loss of that vehicle following a malfunction.

Related News: Iran captures disabled US Anduril Dive-LD military underwater drone in Strait of Hormuz

Screenshot from a video released by Iranian sources, purportedly showing the reported strike on a U.S. Saildrone Explorer near the Strait of Hormuz. (Picture source: IRGC)

The identification is consistent with a type of unmanned naval platform that the US Navy has publicly operated in the region. On January 27, 2022, US Naval Forces Central Command announced the start of Saildrone Explorer operations in the Arabian Gulf off Bahrain under Task Force 59. The unit was established to integrate unmanned systems into US Fifth Fleet operations and is based in Manama. As recently as August 2025, the US Navy held Task Force 59’s change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

The Saildrone Explorer is a 7-meter unmanned surface vehicle designed primarily for persistent operations at sea. Saildrone lists the platform with a rigid wing approximately 5 meters high, a draft of 2 meters, and an average speed of 1 to 3 knots. Wind provides propulsion, while solar power supplies its onboard electronics, allowing the vessel to remain deployed for more than 12 months. Its payload can include an Automatic Identification System transponder, camera systems, satellite communications, and various meteorological and oceanographic sensors. The US Navy also stated in 2022 that its platforms carried sensors, radars, and cameras used for navigation and data collection.

Its tactical utility is largely based on endurance. An Explorer can remain in a maritime area for weeks or months where a crewed vessel would require rotations and regular logistical support. In the Strait of Hormuz, such a platform can help identify vessel movements, complement AIS data, transmit imagery, and contribute to a shared maritime operating picture. Its low speed, however, creates clear constraints when facing fast patrol craft or another unit attempting to intercept it. The Explorer therefore functions primarily as a persistent distributed sensor rather than as a vessel capable of independently avoiding a direct threat. The US Navy has already operated several Explorer platforms in the Arabian Gulf to locate contacts and transmit imagery to Fifth Fleet ships and operations centers.

The September 10 claim follows another incident involving a US unmanned naval system two days earlier. On September 8, the IRGC said it had recovered an Anduril Dive-LD large-diameter autonomous underwater vehicle at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. In this case, the loss of a US underwater drone was acknowledged by the American side. A CENTCOM spokesperson said the vehicle had suffered a malfunction more than a day earlier while monitoring regional waters in support of ongoing operations, and stated that it did not carry classified radar or sonar equipment. Anduril describes the Dive-LD as a 5.8-meter platform capable of operating for up to ten days and at depths of up to 6,000 meters.

The timeline nevertheless requires caution regarding the Saildrone claim. As early as September 6, the IRGC had announced that it had attacked a US remotely operated vessel that it said had attempted to enter an area declared restricted by Tehran. CENTCOM rejected that earlier version of events, describing it as a “total lie.” The September 10 statement is more specific because it provides a platform type and hull number, but it does not clearly establish when the reported strike took place. Iranian media also claim that the Saildrone is now operated from a unit positioned in the Khasab area of Oman following strikes on US facilities in Bahrain. No public US information reviewed so far confirms such a redeployment, and this point therefore remains an Iranian assertion.

These incidents indicate that unmanned naval systems are becoming directly exposed in the confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz. The acknowledged loss of a Dive-LD and the Iranian claim of a strike against a Saildrone illustrate two complementary dimensions of the US unmanned presence, below the surface and at sea level. For Washington, these systems allow sensors to be positioned forward without immediately exposing personnel. For Tehran, intercepting or disabling them can provide a way to challenge this surveillance architecture while keeping the immediate human cost of escalation lower. In a strait central to international energy flows, however, this confrontation around unmanned systems introduces another category of potential targets and adds complexity to the rules of engagement between both forces.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.