An Iranian drone succeeded in discovering and tracking a US Navy destroyer in the Persian Gulf

Thanks to a video clip published by the Iranian Press TV agency, it was learned that a HESA Ababil-5 drone belonging to the Iranian army was able to detect and track a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that was in the Persian Gulf.

The event, part of a national exercise by the Iranian army, occurred after the launch of the Ababil-V unmanned aerial vehicle from a base on Jask Island. Thanks to the capabilities of the drone that do not allow it to be detected by external radars and traditional reconnaissance radars, it was possible to track the American destroyer for an entire day.

This occasion was not the only time that the Iranian military was able to obtain images of US naval assets. In April 2021, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) revealed clear images of a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, captured during a drone overflight. These images, taken by a squadron of drones, detail all the aircraft and military equipment that were on deck at the time.

For his part, regarding the recent event, the video does not show which US Navy destroyer it is. At the time of publishing this post, the United States Central Command, under whose areas of responsibility the Arabian Gulf region falls, had not issued a statement in this regard, nor confirmed this fact to public opinion.

The Ababil-5 drone was manufactured by the Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Company (HESA) and debuted in 2022 as part of Iran’s Army Day. The unit is the fifth variant of the reconnaissance and attack drone, and is powered by a Rotax-914 engine, similar to the Mohajer-6 engine, with a power of 115 horsepower, and a range of up to 480 kilometers. It can be armed with four “Almas” series anti-tank guided missiles with a range of 8 km, or six “Qaym” series precision guided bombs, each weighing 2.4 kg and with a range of 6 km. It can be used for reconnaissance and combat missions. In addition, it can be equipped with up to six precision missiles with powerful warheads.

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