Iranian Drone Flew Dangerously Close to US Aircraft Carrier in Persian Gulf

An Iranian QOM-1 unnamed aircraft came within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of the USS Nimitz while it was conducting flight operations in international waters. The drone passed by the carrier without navigation lights

Iranian Drone Flew Dangerously Close to US Aircraft Carrier in Persian Gulf

The USS Nimitz (Photo: AP)

 An Iranian drone flew in an "unsafe and unprofessional manner" close to a US aircraft carrier on Sunday, in the central Persian Gulf, according to the US Navy.

CNN reports that the QOM-1 drone came within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of US aircraft flying near the USS Nimitz. The official said the US Navy used an emergency radio frequency to attempt to call Iranian ground units.

A US defense official told CNN the US deemed the drone's behavior unsafe because it did not have any aircraft navigation lights on.

Lt. Ian McConnaughey, a US Naval Forces Central Command spokesperson, confirmed the incident in a statement: "An Iranian QOM-1/Sadegh-1 conducted an unsafe and unprofessional approach of USS Nimitz. [...] The failure of the Iranian UAV to utilize standard, internationally-mandated navigation lights during a night time approach of a US aircraft carrier engaged in flight operations created a dangerous situation with the potential for collision and is not in keeping with international maritime customs and laws."

This is the 14th unsafe encounter with Iran this year, according to a US Navy official. This latest incident is the second within a week that involved a drone interacting unsafely with US carrier-based aircraft.

 

[Source: CNN]

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