Iran's Advanced Azhdar Underwater Drone: Capabilities and Strategic Impact in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran relies on the Azhdar, a stealthy underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV), as a key asset in “securing” the Strait of Hormuz in its confrontation with the United States and Israel. The electrically-powered drone has raised strategic concerns across global naval commands due to its near-silent lithium battery propulsion system, which allows it to move quietly without water friction.
The battery’s durability and low production costs pose a significant threat to global maritime traffic attempting to transit the strait. The Azhdar’s operational concept exemplifies a broader technological shift in naval warfare, as swarm-based drone deployment models increasingly erode the traditional dominance of large surface fleets that historically secured narrow maritime passages and protected valuable commercial shipping lanes.
Operating at speeds of approximately 18 to 25 knots, the Azhdar underwater drone balances silent movement with tactical manoeuvrability. This system enables the drone to patrol contested maritime corridors whilst maintaining operational flexibility for surveillance, interception, or attack missions against military vessels and commercial traffic.
The vehicle’s endurance capability—able to operate continuously for up to four days—is a crucial operational asset for underwater drone systems in the Strait of Hormuz. This enables the drone to monitor, track, and potentially strike targets without requiring continuous human oversight or direct command links.
With an operational range projected to exceed 600 kilometres, the Azhdar can traverse the confined waters of the Persian Gulf and surrounding shipping lanes with relative ease, complicating defensive planning for regional naval forces and international maritime coalitions.
Because underwater drones require no crew accommodations or life support systems, the Azhdar platform can allocate greater internal volume to energy storage and mission payloads. In such an environment, unmanned vehicles operating beneath the surface with stealth capabilities create uncertainty for naval commanders responsible for protecting merchant vessels through narrow, congested maritime corridors.
The potential deployment of the Azhdar underwater vehicle by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) thus introduces a disruptive variable to the Persian Gulf’s security dynamics.