Iran conducts military drills showcasing capabilities against U.S. carriers

Iran has been engaging in military demonstrations to showcase their capabilities regarding maritime warfare, particularly aimed at U.S. naval forces. Notably, in 2015, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) conducted military exercises known as Tehran’s Great Prophet 9, where they simulated attacks on a mock-up of a U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. This exercise included the firing of various weapons, including the Fateh-110 missile, aimed at the replica. The event was publicized extensively by state-run media, highlighting Iran's ambitions and purported military strength. However, despite these confidently presented showcases, actual capabilities raise skepticism regarding their effectiveness against real U.S. threats. Moreover, while Iran appears to be making advancements in its drone technology, experts emphasize that the reliance on drone assaults poses limited threat to formidable naval vessels like the Nimitz-class carriers, which are heavily fortified against missile and aerial strikes. Iran has announced their capability to target American carriers through drills, competing narration against the backdrop of their actual military achievements, which remain unverified beyond conventional drills. The incident of their own naval mishap, resulting in casualties among Iranian Navy personnel due to internal errors, further complicates their narrative regarding military prowess against external adversaries. Therefore, while the show of force, such as sinking mock carriers, serves as a propaganda tool, the ground realities reflect a gap between rhetoric and operational capability against active and substantial military forces like the U.S. Navy.