The Revolutionary Guards Navy captures the second US UAV unharmed over Kesham Island Tehran, IRNA -. The Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) captured the second intact US surveillance and surprise UAV west of the Strait of Hormuz after taking control of its guidance and control systems. The statement said the Navy's electronic warfare unit detected and identified the MQM-170 UAV during an offensive operation before safely downing it without physically destroying it on Friday.
According to the Revolutionary Guards Navy, the mission of the UAVs was to detect Iranian air defense systems along the Persian Gulf coast and over Qashm Island.
The outlawed MQM-170, manufactured by the American company Griffon Aerospace, was originally designed to simulate air threats, test air defense systems and train air defense personnel.
Beyond photographing military positions, such missions can help assess air defense responses, detection capability, and system performance. The control of the UAV and its safe landing thus offered an intelligence opportunity to examine the equipment and operational methods used by the other side, according to the statement.