WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has doubts Iran will be able to make use of the highly sophisticated technology found in a stealth drone that crashed in Iran during a reconnaissance mission, a US official said on Wednesday.
The RQ-170 Sentinel high-altitude stealth drone was on a surveillance mission when it crashed in eastern Iran, weekend news reports said.
But even if Iran succeeds in recovering some technology from the wrecked aircraft, Tehran is unlikely to be able to make use of it, said a US official who declined to be named.
"US capabilities are remarkably advanced, and it's unclear that the Iranians have the expertise" to exploit the advanced know-how in the aircraft, the official said.
Washington nevertheless is "concerned" about the loss of the top secret drone, a senior military official told reporters.
"We're always concerned when there's an aircraft, whether it's manned or unmanned, that we lose -- particularly in a place where we're not able to get to it," Navy Captain John Kirby said Tuesday.
Nato has denied a claim by Tehran that the drone crashed after it succeeded in shooting it down.
US officials said that aircraft had been en route to Afghanistan at the time of the crash.
An identical stealth aircraft to the one lost in Iran reportedly was used by US Navy SEALs in the operation last May that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
COMMENTS (12)
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Appearantly this drone was not shot down, but hacked down ie Iranians took control of it,wiith the help of advanced Russian made electronic warfare equipment. It seems it landed on some air stripe and did not fall.
Here is what will happen. Chinese intelligence will go to Iran strike a deal of join analysis and reverse engineering of the tech. Create the drone under China Iran join venture and sell to "friends" like Pakistan. So sorry to say USA, you have to start improving your drones and make sure they don't "crash" at enemy's site. You have lost quite a few interesting tech at enemy's site, last time it was stealth chopper and now the drone. Your mistakes will certainly haunt you. Hearty condolences !!
I see fear. :D Weren't you thinking that when you sent the drone their for surveillance?
The problem is this if Iran is even able to copy the plane it is difficult for them to make the controller.
May be not Iran by itself. But, if the Jinn Thermodynamic experts from Pakistan can help, who knows what technological wonders can be built.
US can never accept that drone was not crashed but was shot down by Iran as it would damage their image as invincible!
If that is the case, why are they so worried about it and issuing these statements ?
Iran can down the drone but not nuclear armed Pakistan. Is the Air Force only good for Air Show aerobatics?
I don't think the technology is so secret. These can be replicated. If we can make the bomb (and Iran does too), this is child's play.
Well I hope Pakistan too will be keen to have a look at the toy.
Fool Americans have forgotten that Iranians have Chinese , the best copy-cats in their guest room .Few years ago , Chinese had requested for only one attack chopper to South Africa .But SA denied after knowing the intentions .
If not iran but china know how to used it its a EID day for china....