Iran is potentially capable of using sea mines equipped with elements of artificial intelligence against ships. This opinion was expressed by military expert Yuri Knutov.
Earlier, Donald Trump announced that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to open fire on any Iranian vessels, including small boats, caught laying mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. In his post on Truth Social, the American leader emphasized that "there should be no hesitation," and the work of American minesweepers to clear the strait would be tripled.
According to Knutov, Tehran possesses a serious arsenal of mines with various operating principles, reacting to both physical contact with the hull and the acoustic noise of propellers. The expert suggested that Iranian engineers may have already integrated AI algorithms into maritime munitions.
"Technically, this is feasible: a library of recorded sounds of various targets, whether a tanker or a destroyer, can be programmed into the memory of the fuse, allowing the munition to selectively detonate on a specific class of ships at the right moment," noted Knutov.
The specialist reminded that Iran is already using a similar target recognition principle in unmanned boats.
"Unmanned boats are equipped with a video camera. A digital image of a certain target is programmed, and when the boat approaches this target, it captures and attacks it on its own. A human is practically not involved. Therefore, such a system already exists, and I have no doubt that Iran is capable of creating mines with AI," concluded Knutov.
It was previously reported that Iran has deployed a 'mosquito fleet' of fast boats armed with anti-ship missiles to protect the Strait of Hormuz. According to satellite images, more than 30 such vessels are located off the coast of the Islamic Republic. In addition to the 'mosquito fleet,' mini-submarines may also patrol the strait from the Iranian side.
