Iranian Navy detects foreign submarine during Eqtedar naval exercise

Iranian naval assets have detected a foreign submarine during the “Eqtedar” Naval Exercise in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean. According to the Tasnim agency of Iran, the ASW assets of the Iranian navy forced it to leave the drill zone. The measures that Iranian assets took were not specified in the article, probably they called the submarine via radio channels to steer clear of the area.

“The SH-3 Sea King helicopters have detected and tracked a foreign submarine in a timely manner as it intended to approach the war game zone in the northern areas of the Indian Ocean.” the officials of the Iranian Navy said.

“The submarine belonging to the foreign forces left the drill zone immediately after realizing that it had been detected” the officials added.

The footage in which the Iranian Navy’s choppers are warning the unknown submarine to stay away from the drill zone is considered as nuclear-powered Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729) which transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf on 21st December along with the guided-missile cruisers USS Port Royal (CG 73) and USS Philippine Sea (CG 58).

The submarine was probably watching the Iranian activities for intelligence during the incident. Submerging at the periscope depth near the naval forces of rivals and making the periscope visible is not a common attitude of a nuclear-submarine. Amid the high tension in the region, this could be a deliberate action of the U.S. Navy.

The U.S. Navy hasn’t commented about the incident yet.

The naval drill, which began on 13th January, covers the Makran coasts in southeast Iran and the northern areas of the Indian Ocean. Iran’s state TV broadcast footage of the missile launches on Thursday but didn’t provide their range or other details. In July, Iran said it test-fired cruise missiles with a range of some 280 kilometres (some 275 miles).

Iran’s Armed Forces hold routine military exercises throughout the year in order to enhance capabilities to defend the country and its interests.

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