Iran: We're Copying US Spy Drone

Iran military claims to have reverse-engineered drone

By Newser Editors and Wire Services

Posted Apr 22, 2012 5:42 AM CDT

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Iran: We're Copying US Spy Drone — An Iranian couple hold a model of the captured US RQ-170 drone during the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Azadi (Freedom) square in Tehran on February 11, 2012. (Getty Images)

A senior Iranian commander says the country has reverse-engineered an American spy drone captured by Tehran's armed forces last year and has begun building a copy. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who is chief of the aerospace division of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, was quoted today by the semi-official Mehr news agency as saying that experts are also recovering data from the US RQ-170 Sentinel captured in December in eastern Iran.

US officials have acknowledged losing the drone. They have also said that Iran will find it hard to exploit any data and technology aboard it because of measures taken to limit the intelligence value of drones operating over hostile territory.

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