A US strike has targeted and set fire to an Iranian drone carrier, according to the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM).
“In just the last few hours, we hit an Iranian drone carrier ship, roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier, and as we speak, it’s on fire.”
He made these remarks on Thursday afternoon.
While Admiral Cooper did not specify the carrier’s location or the type of munition used in the strike, he noted that US forces have sunk over 30 Iranian vessels since Operation Epic Fury began last weekend. Cooper also did not identify the targeted Iranian vessel.
Iran possesses several vessels that could potentially serve as drone launch platforms. These include a converted tanker used as a forward base ship, which was recently observed emitting smoke at its home port in satellite images. However, Iran’s only purpose-built drone carrier is the IRIS Shahid Bagheri. The Shahid Bagheri was previously a container ship before being repurposed and commissioned into the navy last year.
This Iranian vessel is equipped with a ski jump-style ramp, similar to those found on Soviet-built carriers such as the Russian Admiral Kuznetsov, for launching aircraft. The vessel is capable of launching various types of drones.
Source: Harian Basis
See also: Iran’s Shahid Bagheri Drone Carrier Begins Sea Trials