(https://static.washingtonsun.com)  (../../static.washingtonsun.com/resource/0000018b-da21-d057-a3fb-daef740a0000/styles/default/All.min.ef6bcdb03159584485a2d56e04170e38.gz.css) U.S. Central Command Says American Drone Captured by Iran ‘Malfunctioned’ - The Washington Sun (https://washingtonsun.com/defense/centcom-unmanned-drone-iran-captured) (../manifest.webmanifest)  (../favicon.ico) (../icon.svg)  (https://washingtonsun.com/apple-touch-icon.png) (https://www.googletagmanager.com)  (https://www.google-analytics.com)  (../../static.washingtonsun.com/resource/0000018b-da21-d057-a3fb-daef740a0000/static/redesignBundle.f82bde763ad122c32d5f8d38aad3d6ef.gz.css)                                                                                                                                             (https://washingtonsun.com/) The Washington Sun       Main Navigation     Show menu     Close menu  (https://washingtonsun.com/newsletter) Log in    NewslettersExpand   (https://washingtonsun.com/account/newsletters) Sign up for our newsletters  (https://washingtonsun.com/newsletters) The Washington Sun Daily  (https://washingtonsun.com/afternoon-sun-newsletter) Afternoon Sun  (https://washingtonsun.com/metro-newsletter) Metro     (https://washingtonsun.com/weather) Weather  CampaignsExpand   (https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election) 2026 Election  (https://washingtonsun.com/2028-election) 2028 Election  (https://washingtonsun.com/democrats) Democrats  (https://washingtonsun.com/money) Money  (https://washingtonsun.com/republicans) Republicans     (https://washingtonsun.com/congress) Congress Expand   (https://washingtonsun.com/house) House  (https://washingtonsun.com/senate) Senate     NationalExpand   (https://washingtonsun.com/courts) Courts  (https://washingtonsun.com/us-news) U.S. News     (https://washingtonsun.com/metro) Metro  (https://washingtonsun.com/sports) Sports  (https://washingtonsun.com/policy) Policy Expand   (https://washingtonsun.com/agencies) Agencies  (https://washingtonsun.com/climate-environment) Climate & Environment  (https://washingtonsun.com/economy) Economy  (https://washingtonsun.com/education) Education  (https://washingtonsun.com/health-science) Health & Science  (https://washingtonsun.com/housing) Housing  (https://washingtonsun.com/immigration) Immigration  (https://washingtonsun.com/technology) Technology  (https://washingtonsun.com/trade-tariffs) Trade & Tariffs     StatesExpand   (https://washingtonsun.com/california) California  (https://washingtonsun.com/georgia) Georgia  (https://washingtonsun.com/louisiana) Louisiana  (https://washingtonsun.com/mississippi) Mississippi  (https://washingtonsun.com/new-york) New York  (https://washingtonsun.com/north-carolina) North Carolina  (https://washingtonsun.com/ohio) Ohio  (https://washingtonsun.com/oklahoma) Oklahoma  (https://washingtonsun.com/pennsylvania) Pennsylvania  (https://washingtonsun.com/texas) Texas  (https://washingtonsun.com/utah) Utah  (https://washingtonsun.com/vermont) Vermont  (https://washingtonsun.com/virginia) Virginia  (https://washingtonsun.com/wisconsin) Wisconsin     (https://washingtonsun.com/whitehouse) White House Expand   (https://washingtonsun.com/defense) Defense  (https://washingtonsun.com/donald-trump) Donald Trump  (https://washingtonsun.com/foreign-policy) Foreign Policy  (https://washingtonsun.com/trump-white-house) Trump’s White House     (https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives) Perspectives Expand   (https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives) Latest Perspectives  (https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/dana-milbank) Dana Milbank  (https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/matt-k-lewis) Matt K. Lewis  (https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/features) Features  (https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/forums) Forums     (https://washingtonsun.com/podcast) Podcast Expand   (https://washingtonsun.com/podcast) Washington Sun Cast • Episode List  (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-notus/id1848365152) Listen on Apple Podcasts  (https://open.spotify.com/show/0hcXZHYEUm9fRqYefcgpaw?si=066d8bc3d14c40a2) Listen on Spotify  (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGeqcaOnLUrlwrXqYx2nutvc8Dnn9F3Vm&si=hRpMQ4R1fiFbVK6h) Watch on Youtube     Who Are We?Expand   (https://www.notus.org/about-us) About The Washington Sun  (https://washingtonsun.com/events) Events  (https://washingtonsun.com/about-us/jobs) Work for us  (https://washingtonsun.com/about-us/press-releases) Press Releases     Follow UsExpand   (https://x.com/washingtonsun)   X (Twitter)   (https://bsky.app/profile/washingtonsun.bsky.social)   Bluesky   (https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-washington-sun/)   LinkedIn   (https://www.instagram.com/washingtonsun)   Instagram   (https://www.tiktok.com/@notusreports)   TikTok   (https://www.youtube.com/@thewashingtonsun)   YouTube             (https://washingtonsun.com/newsletter)   Log in        (https://washingtonsun.com/podcast) Listen to The Washington Sun Cast: Data Centers, MAGA Inc. and Our New Name      (https://washingtonsun.com/defense) Defense    U.S. Central Command Says American Drone Captured by Iran ‘Malfunctioned’ Iranian state media had claimed the vehicle was one of the “most modern” and “smart” submarines.                   (APTOPIX Iran War Strait of Hormuz)    The Strait of Hormuz remains locked in a military stalemate. (Vahid Salemi/AP)   By (https://washingtonsun.com/avani-kalra) Avani Kalra   September 8, 2026 03:41 p.m.  Updated: September 8, 2026 09:27 p.m.         (mailto:?body=U.S.%20Central%20Command%20Says%20American%20Drone%20Captured%20by%20Iran%20%E2%80%98Malfunctioned%E2%80%99%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwashingtonsun.com%2Fdefense%2Fcentcom-unmanned-drone-iran-captured%0A%0AIranian%20state%20media%20had%20claimed%20the%20vehicle%20was%20one%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Cmost%20modern%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9Csmart%E2%80%9D%20submarines.)   Email    (https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwashingtonsun.com%2Fdefense%2Fcentcom-unmanned-drone-iran-captured&mini=true&title=U.S.%20Central%20Command%20Says%20American%20Drone%20Captured%20by%20Iran%20%E2%80%98Malfunctioned%E2%80%99&summary=Iranian%20state%20media%20had%20claimed%20the%20vehicle%20was%20one%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Cmost%20modern%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9Csmart%E2%80%9D%20submarines.&source=The%20Washington%20Sun)   LinkedIn   (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwashingtonsun.com%2Fdefense%2Fcentcom-unmanned-drone-iran-captured&text=U.S.%20Central%20Command%20Says%20American%20Drone%20Captured%20by%20Iran%20%E2%80%98Malfunctioned%E2%80%99)   Twitter     Copy Link copied             U.S. Central Command said that an American submarine drone captured by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday “malfunctioned” and pushed back on claims by Iranian state media that it nabbed a high-tech surveillance vehicle. A CENTCOM spokesperson, Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, told NOTUS in a statement that the drone was surveying waters in the region to support ongoing military operations and malfunctioned more than a day ago.    “The defective drone was an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment,” Hawkins said. “U.S. operations in area waters continue.” The statement counters Iranian officials who said that the underwater vehicle was one of the “most modern” and “smart” submarines and was equipped with “the latest” technology. Trending                               (President Donald Trump speaks outside the White House)     (https://washingtonsun.com/trump-white-house/state-dinner-china-president-xi-jinping-visit-washington-dc) State Dinner in the Works for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Visit to D.C.                                   (Election 2026 Republicans)     (https://washingtonsun.com/trump-white-house/trump-dividend-americans-vote-republican) Trump Offers $5,000 ‘Dividend’ to Every American Adult if Republicans Win Midterms                                   (Sen. John Fetterman)     (https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/fetterman-democratic-party-gop-convention) Fetterman Says He Won’t Leave His Party if Democrats Win the Senate                                   (Election 2026 Rhode Island)     (https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/rhode-island-governors-race-incumbent-loses-primary) Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee Loses Democratic Primary           Iranian state-run media reported that the submarine was capable of “surveillance, seabed mapping, mine detection and inspection of submarine cables and pipelines.” Iranian state TV also released an image of the unmanned submersible vehicle on Tuesday. A spokesperson for Anduril, which manufactures the vehicle, issued a statement later Tuesday. “Dive-LD is an attritable autonomous system, meaning it is designed from the outset to operate in dangerous environments where loss of the vehicle is an expected possibility,” the spokesperson said. “Its purpose is to keep warfighters out of the most dangerous parts of the undersea mission. This vehicle had already delivered significant value operating thousands of hours in months-long operations in CENTCOM.” The Strait of Hormuz remains locked in a military stalemate after (https://www.notus.org/defense/us-military-hits-iranian-oil-tankers-after-saying-navy-warships-were-targeted) U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers   following attacks on Navy warships over the weekend. The American military warned Saturday it would “if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.” The incident came after President Donald Trump called the conflict “small potatoes” last week and negotiations to end the war have largely lapsed. This story has been updated to include a statement from Anduril.    Author   (AJI-Fellow2025_Avani Kalra.png)   (https://washingtonsun.com/avani-kalra) Avani Kalra is a reporter at The Washington Sun and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.                        The Latest on The Washington Sun                               (Election 2026 Republicans)     (https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/tim-scott-democrats-dallas-republican-midterm-convention) Sen. Tim Scott Says Democratic Senate Candidates ‘Hate’ American Culture                                   (Supreme Court)     (https://washingtonsun.com/courts/missouri-redistricting-case-supreme-court) Missouri Redistricting Case Reaches Supreme Court — Again                                   (AP26252844426074)     (https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/fetterman-gop-convention-appearance) Fetterman Bashes ‘Socialism’ in Surprise GOP Convention Appearance                                   (Trump)     (https://washingtonsun.com/policy/blanche-speech-republican-convention) Blanche Departs From DOJ Norms With a Speech at Republican Convention             Welcome back to The Washington Sun!  Update your profile and manage your newsletter subscriptions in My Account.   (https://washingtonsun.com/account) Update Account  Close        (https://washingtonsun.com/about-us) About The Washington Sun  (https://washingtonsun.com/about-us/jobs) Work for us  (https://washingtonsun.com/online-terms-of-use) Terms of Use  (https://washingtonsun.com/subscription-terms-and-conditions) Subscription Agreement Terms and Conditions  (https://washingtonsun.com/privacy-policy) Privacy Policy  (https://www.washingtonsun.com/privacy-policy#california) Your CA Privacy Rights  (https://washingtonsun.com/support-faq) Support FAQ  (mailto:contactus@washsun.com) Contact us  (https://washingtonsun.com/index.rss) RSS Feed     © 2026 (https://washingtonsun.com/) NOTUS MEDIA, LLC   (Close)   Close Auth Dialog