Iran today claimed to have captured a US drone that was on a reconnaissance flight in its airspace over Gulf waters.
The Revolutionary Guards said one of its air defence units had brought down the unmanned aircraft called a ScanEagle which has a 10ft wingspan.
General Ali Fadavi said: “It was captured as soon as it entered Iranian airspace. Such drones usually take off from large warships.” The US said it was looking into the reports but there was no comment from the US navy’s 5th Fleet based in Bahrain.
The ScanEagle is a low-cost, long-endurance aircraft built by a subsidiary of Boeing. It is one of the less sophisticated drones used by the Americans.
If true, the seizure of the drone would be the third reported incident involving Iran and US drones in two years.
Last month, Iran claimed that a US drone had violated its airspace. The Pentagon said the aircraft came under fire at least twice but was not hit.
In 2011, Iran brought down a CIA spy drone after it entered Iranian airspace from its eastern borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The RQ-170 Sentinel, which is equipped with stealth technology, was captured almost intact.
