Iran’s Combat Drone Fired 5 Missiles at a U.S. Destroyer From 12 Miles Away – The Ship’s Guns….

On March 24, 2026, at approximately 3:31 a.m., the USS Ross, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, was engaged in a routine transit in the Gulf of Oman, located 47 nautical miles southeast of the Strait of Hormuz.

It was here that an Iranian KAR combat drone initiated an aggressive standoff attack, firing a missile at the ship from a distance of 12 nautical miles.

The missile, launched with remarkable speed, reached its target in just 41 seconds.

The Ross’s electronic warfare (EW) system detected the launch signature a mere 12 seconds after the missile was fired, leaving the crew with only 29 seconds to respond.

As the crew scrambled to defend the ship, seven additional KAR drones circled above the overcast clouds, remaining undetectable by surface radar and poised for further strikes.

This incident marks a pivotal moment in naval warfare, as it showcases the evolving threats posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in modern combat scenarios.

The Gulf of Oman, often overlooked in favor of the more тιԍнтly monitored Strait of Hormuz, has become a new battleground where the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been quietly developing advanced drone capabilities.

The engagement with the KAR drone exposed significant vulnerabilities in the Navy’s air defense systems, particularly in their ability to counter standoff attacks from unmanned systems that operate outside the effective range of traditional ship-based defense weapons.

Unlike previous drone attacks involving Shahed series drones, which functioned as flying bombs that required proximity to their targets, the KAR drone operates as a combat aircraft capable of launching missiles from a safe distance.

With a maximum speed of approximately 900 km/h and a weapons payload that allows it to strike from 12 nautical miles away, the KAR poses a unique challenge for naval defenders.

At this range, the drone remains beyond the effective engagement envelope of the Ross’s crew-served weapons systems.

The ship’s Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) has an effective range of only about 1.5 nautical miles, while the Standard Missile 2 (SM2) can reach the drone, but only if it is on a stable flight path—something the agile KAR is designed to avoid.

When the first missile was launched, the USS Ross had already been outside the Strait of Hormuz for 47 minutes, heading toward a rendezvous with the Carl Vinson strike group.

At 2:51 a.m., a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft detected multiple small aerial contacts above a heavy overcast layer, which were classified as potential military UAVs.

The report of these contacts reached the Fifth Fleet at 2:57 a.m., and by 3:02 a.m., the advisory was transmitted to the Ross.

However, due to the cloud cover, the ship’s radar was limited in its ability to track the incoming threats effectively.

By 3:09 a.m., the commanding officer ordered a heightened watch status, which proved crucial just moments later when the EW suite detected missile seeker activation from the first KAR drone.

Despite the limited time for response, the crew managed to engage the incoming missile with the SM2, successfully intercepting it at 4 nautical miles—a clean hit that detonated the threat in mid-air.

However, the commanding officer was still left with the daunting task of locating the drone that had launched the missile.

The situation rapidly escalated as another KAR drone fired a second missile, prompting the Ross to shift its defensive posture once again.

In a span of just 11 seconds, the ship’s systems were reoriented, and another SM2 was launched, resulting in yet another successful intercept.

The crew’s resilience was commendable, but the relentless nature of the attack was becoming clear.

As the engagement continued, the KAR operators demonstrated tactical acumen by distributing their attacks across multiple bearings, probing the ship’s defenses for weaknesses.

The third missile was intercepted successfully, but debris from the explosion damaged the ship’s surface search radar, further complicating the defense efforts.

As the fourth missile approached, the ship’s aft coverage was compromised, leading to a missed intercept and a catastrophic hit that resulted in two fatalities and several injuries among the crew.

The damage inflicted by the missile’s partial detonation caused fires and structural damage, creating chaos aboard the ship.

Despite the dire circumstances, the USS Ross maintained operational integrity, with propulsion systems intact and the primary air search radar still functional.

As the fifth missile was launched, the arrival of F/A-18 fighter jets from the Carl Vinson strike group provided a much-needed lifeline.

The pilots, having pushed their aircraft beyond standard transit speeds, quickly identified and engaged the remaining drones, successfully destroying the fifth missile before it could cause further harm.

In total, five missiles were fired at the USS Ross, with four intercepted cleanly and one causing tragic casualties.

The aftermath of this engagement has prompted urgent discussions within the U.S. Navy regarding the vulnerabilities exposed by this incident.

The central finding of the post-incident review highlighted the standoff launch architecture of the KAR drone, which effectively bypᴀssed the ship’s close-in defense systems.

The commanding officer’s poignant remark underscored the severity of the threat: “The KAR never came into my kill zone. It fired from outside my reach.”

This engagement has irrevocably altered the Navy’s understanding of aerial threats and the need for enhanced air-to-air capabilities during independent transits, particularly in the Gulf of Oman.

The tragic loss of two sailors, Machinist Mate Second Class David Hang and Electronics Technician Third Class Aaliyah Johnson, serves as a solemn reminder of the stakes involved in modern naval warfare.

As the Navy adapts to these evolving threats, the lessons learned from this incident will undoubtedly shape future strategies and operational protocols in the region.

The engagement in the Gulf of Oman has set a precedent, illustrating the imperative for vigilance and preparedness in an increasingly complex and dangerous maritime environment.