TEHRAN — The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC Navy) has announced the capture of a second advanced United States military Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) operating in the Strait of Hormuz. Identified by Iranian military authorities as a REMUS 600 autonomous undersea platform, the UUV was reportedly intercepted during sub-surface surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations within the strategic choke point.
According to statements released by Iranian military state media, the capture was executed via a coordinated electronic warfare and intelligence operation. The captured platform was subsequently transferred to IRGC naval technical specialists to conduct data recovery, analyze onboard acoustic signatures, and evaluate recorded mission sensor logs. This marks the second American autonomous submersible recovered by Iranian forces in the region during September 2026, following the earlier seizure of an Anduril Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle. Defense analysts note the potential exploitation of the REMUS 600’s energy management, low-acoustic propulsion signatures, and modular sensor payloads for indigenous UUV development and reverse-engineering programs.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: HII / HYDROID REMUS 600 AUV / UUV
* System Classification: Medium-Class Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) / Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV)
* Developer / Original Manufacturer: HII Unmanned Systems (formerly Hydroid)
* Primary Mission Profiles: Mine Countermeasures (MCM), hydrographic survey, rapid environmental assessment (REA), sub-surface intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and harbor security
* Physical Dimensions & Mass:
* Hull Diameter: 12.75 inches (32.4 cm) — standardized for A-size/torpedo-tube handling
* Overall Length: Approximately 3.25 meters (10.6 ft), modular based on payload configuration
* Weight: Approximately 240 kg (530 lbs) in air
* Operational Depth Rating: Rated to depths of up to 600 meters (1,970 ft)
* Energy Architecture & Endurance: High-density rechargeable Lithium-ion battery module providing continuous operational endurance up to 70 hours (depending on payload draw and speed)
* Speed Profile: Maximum speed of 4.5–5.0 knots; standard cruise speed of 2.0–3.0 knots
* Navigation & Guidance Architecture: High-accuracy Inertial Navigation System (INS) integrated with Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), GPS receiver (surfaced), and acoustic transponder positioning (LBL/USBL)
* Sensor & Payload Integration:
* Dual-frequency Side-Scan Sonar / Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) for high-resolution bathymetric mapping
* Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) & CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) profilers
* Optical cameras, sub-bottom profilers, and passive acoustic intelligence payloads
