Iran ‘Accidentally’ Sank Mock US Aircraft Carrier In Wrong Place

Via AlMasdarNews.com,

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) conducted a large-scale military exercise in the Persian Gulf in late July, as they showcased their naval capabilities and new weapons. During the exercises, the IRGC was seen attacking a mock U.S. aircraft carrier that was positioned near the Strait of Hormuz.

It was expected that Iran would not fully destroy this replica of the U.S.S. Nimitz, as they would use it for future military drills; however, as shown in the photo below, the aircraft carrier is submerged in the Persian Gulf.

New imagery from yesterday shows the capsized #IRGC replica of the Nimitz Class Carrier appears to have listed more outside of Bandar Abbas Port, #Iran. She appears more listed here than previous imagery from the 31st July. The depth here is a reported 14m. Fun to reclaim…. pic.twitter.com/tKTHJAaGCS

— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) August 2, 2020

As pointed out by South Front, who quoted an expert from the Forbes article that was previously posted about the vessel, this aircraft carrier was not meant to sink.

In fact, during the military drills in the Persian Gulf, the IRGC’s soldiers could be seen landing on the aircraft carrier from one of their transport helicopters.

“The Iranian armed forces, particularly the IRGC-N (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy) delight in attacking the mock U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. It makes their war games more dramatic. And it may be intended to symbolize that they could, if called upon, sink an American carrier,” the Forbes article said.

“The carrier itself, actually an elaborate target barge, is not intended to sink, however. It is meant to be reusable and has been symbolically ‘destroyed’ twice already. But now it really has sunk. And in very much the wrong place,” the report continued.

The Iranian drills have since been condemned by the U.S. because of the IRGC’s exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.