America has deployed a fleet of robot subs in the Gulf under pretext of "preventing Iran from blocking the strategic Strait of Hormuz with mines in the event of a crisis".
The "SeaFox" drone "has been deployed in the Fifth fleet AOR, which includes the Gulf and the Arabian Sea. The undersea drone, about four feet (1.2 meters) long and equipped with a camera and sonar, is guided by a cable from a ship. The new Pentagon toy has a range of about 3,200 feet (1,000 meters) and carries an explosive to destroy mines.
"SeaFox devices will be employed from MCMs," or mine counter-measure ships, in the Gulf.
The American military has been bolstering its presence in the region. It sent four mine sweeper ships in early June, joining four other mine sweeping vessels already in the region, according to the Fifth Fleet.
The Navy also has MH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters and USS Ponce, an old amphibious warship that has been converted into a "floating base," stationed in Bahrain, home to the Fifth Fleet headquarters. And in late April, a squadron of F-22 stealth fighters was sent to the Al Dhaafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
Source: Agencies
Kavkaz Center
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