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Iran's Revolutionary Guard announces capture of fifth US MQM-170 drone over Qeshm
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Thursday evening that electronic warfare systems operated by its Aerospace Force brought down a fifth US MQM-170 reconnaissance drone over Qeshm Island. No US comment has been issued on the announcement so far, while US Central Command rejected a similar Iranian claim in late October.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced on Thursday evening, November 5, that advanced electronic warfare systems operated by its Aerospace Force had brought down “moments ago” a US MQM-170 reconnaissance drone over Qeshm Island, saying it was the fifth aircraft of this type that it had announced capturing. The announcement came in a brief statement from the Guard's public relations office carried by Iranian media.
The statement provided no details about the circumstances of the operation, the location where the drone fell or its condition, and was not accompanied by photographs. Neither the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) nor US Central Command (CENTCOM) has commented on the announcement so far, and it has not been independently verified.
Alongside the statement, the Revolutionary Guard published an infographic titled “Count of advanced US enemy reconnaissance drones brought down by the Revolutionary Guard's modern electronic warfare system.” It shows an MQM-170 Outlaw aircraft with a red X above it and the words “Number: 5.”
Five announcements in eight days
The series of Iranian announcements began on October 29, when the Revolutionary Guard's naval force said its electronic warfare unit had taken control of a drone of the same type west of the Strait of Hormuz and brought it down intact. The following day, the Aerospace Force announced that it had seized a second drone over Qeshm after bringing it down using electronic warfare systems, according to Tasnim. On Monday evening, November 2, the Guard announced that it had brought down two more drones south of the island, bringing the total to four, according to Mehr.
US Central Command responded to the first announcement. Its spokesman, Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, said: “Over the past weeks and months, the Revolutionary Guard has repeatedly lied out of desperation, and today is no exception.” Asked whether he could confirm or deny the loss of a drone of this type, he said: “We will not waste our time,” according to The War Zone, which noted that Washington had not explicitly denied the loss of any aircraft. The US Department of Defense did not confirm the subsequent announcements.
What is the MQM-170 Outlaw?
US-based Griffon Aerospace manufactures MQM-170 Outlaw aircraft. They are used primarily as aerial targets in air-defense training and in testing air-defense systems, simulating aerial threats. They can also be equipped with payloads for reconnaissance, testing and development missions. The second-generation MQM-170C variant is about 3.3 meters long, has a wingspan of about 4.9 meters and reaches a top speed of 126 knots, or approximately 233 kilometers per hour. It can remain airborne for up to eight hours at an altitude exceeding 4,800 meters, and is launched by catapult and recovered by glide landing or parachute.
The US Army and Marine Corps use these aircraft in training exercises. According to The War Zone, the Army awarded the company two contracts this year, worth about $68 million in June and approximately $133 million in August. The Eurasian Times says the MQM-170 is a low-cost, recoverable aircraft rather than an advanced reconnaissance drone such as the MQ-9, meaning that capturing it intact provides only limited intelligence value.
Qeshm at the center of tensions
Qeshm, the largest island in the Gulf at approximately 135 kilometers long, lies off Iran's coast at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. On November 2, the island was shaken by explosions that US officials said resulted from a “limited” strike targeting a Revolutionary Guard surface-to-air missile platform, after an attempt to target a US aircraft over the strait. The officials say Guard units have been firing at manned and unmanned US aircraft in the area for weeks.
The escalation in the airspace coincides with the continuation of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports since the ceasefire announced in April, as well as Qatari mediation efforts to prevent a resumption of the confrontation and open the way for direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The Revolutionary Guard also regularly announces that it has brought down US MQ-9 Reaper drones, and earlier this week said it had destroyed the 55th aircraft of this type.
Images: Iran's Revolutionary Guard (infographic); US Army / Ashley Dominguez Ibarra (cover, archive); US Navy (2025 archive); European Space Agency
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