Iran Claims Electronic Warfare Unit Seized Control of US MQM-170 Drone
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claims its electronic warfare unit seized control of a US-made MQM-170 Outlaw drone and brought it down intact near the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said its forces took control of the drone’s guidance and control systems during an electronic warfare operation, allowing the aircraft to be recovered without being physically destroyed.
Iranian state media released footage purportedly showing the recovered aircraft and claimed it had been conducting reconnaissance on Iranian air defense systems along the Persian Gulf coast.
However, US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the report, calling Iran’s claim false. The alleged capture has not been independently verified.
If confirmed, the incident would raise significant questions about electronic warfare capabilities and the vulnerability of unmanned aircraft operating in contested airspace.