An Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle forced a US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet to alter course in order to avoid collision in the Central Persian Gulf on August 8.
According to the US Naval Forces Central Command, the Iranian QOM-1 UAV executed unsafe and unprofessional altitude changes in the close vicinity of an F/A-18E .
The F/A-18E was in a holding pattern preparing to land on USS Nimitz but was forced to maneuver to avoid collision with the QOM-1.
The US Naval Forces Central Command said the move resulted in a lateral separation of approximately 200 feet and a vertical separation of approximately 100 feet.
“Despite repeated radio calls to stay clear of active fixed-wing flight operations in vicinity of USS Nimitz, the QOM-1 executed unsafe and unprofessional altitude changes in the close vicinity of an F/A-18E in a holding pattern preparing to land on the aircraft carrier,” the statement read.
This is the 13th unsafe and/or unprofessional interaction between U.S. and Iranian maritime forces in 2017.