Iran's navy has introduced its new "suicide drone," which can be outfitted with explosives and crash into targets.

The news was first reported by Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency. While Iranian officials detailed the destructive capabilities of the drone, they also emphasized that the primary purpose of the drone is to carry out maritime surveillance.

Like Us on Facebook

The aircraft is pilotless and is believed to have a range of 620 miles. The drone can reportedly fly continuously for up to four hours. It is powered by two small propellers and can go as high as 3,000 feet up in the air. On the lower side, it can hover at 20 inches above the ground. The drone is also outfitted with a camera which can be used in "damp sea conditions" and at night.

The announcement comes on the heels of escalated encounters between the US and Iran forces. Tasnim did not show any operating pictures of the drone.

Recently, Iranian media had reported that the country had reverse engineered a drone, which is similar to RQ-170 Sentinel employed by the American military. Earlier this year, The Revolutionary Guard had said that the strategic Strait of Hormuz might be closed to the United States and its allies if they "threaten" the Islamic Republic.

US forces are increasingly relying on drones for carrying out combat missions. As of July 1, more than 64 civilians were killed in 473 drone strikes authorized by Obama since 2009. However, Tasnim stated that the "suicide drone" is not designed to carry missiles.