US: Iran Tested Torpedo in Hormuz Strait

Iran tested on Sunday a high-speed torpedo capable of reaching speeds of 200 knots per hour, according to a US official. The test was conducted in the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.

The Hoot torpedo has been tested over the past decade, with the most recent test taking place in February 2015. It is able to go four times faster than the top speed of traditional torpedoes.

According to the US official, the torpedo was tested on Sunday in anarea directly south of Bandar Abbas, home to an Iranian naval base located along the Strait of Hormuz, ABC News reported. Sunday’s test appeared to be a speed test, as it was not aimed at a target barge. A torpedo moving at such a high speed would require a sophisticated guidance system to accurately strike its target. The torpedo is believed to have a range of six miles.