US Navy MK48 Torpedo That Destroyed Iran's IRIS Dena Explained

The Iranian Moudge-class frigate IRIS Dena was sunk in the Indian Ocean by a US Navy attack submarine. The vessel was transiting international waters south of Sri Lanka while returning from the MILAN 2026 naval exercises when it was struck. This engagement marks a historic escalation in maritime conflict, representing the first time since World War II that a US submarine has successfully destroyed an enemy warship using a torpedo. Reports indicate the strike was immediate and catastrophic, splitting the vessel into two sections and causing it to sink rapidly.

The weapon responsible for this destruction is the Mk48 Advanced Capability heavyweight torpedo. This sophisticated underwater asset does not rely on a direct hull impact. Instead, it utilizes active and passive sonar to detonate precisely beneath the keel of a ship. The resulting explosion creates a massive air bubble that lifts the hull before collapsing, causing the weight of the ship to snap its own structural spine. Carrying a powerful 650-pound warhead, the Mk48 is designed for silent, long-range lethality against modern surface combatants.