The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has made its way into the waters controlled by CENTCOM in the Indian Ocean as tensions with Iran rise, a high-ranking U.S. official revealed to Fox News on Monday.

Speculation abounds that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has retreated to a secure location, hinting at possible military maneuvers by the nation. According to a prominent U.S. drone specialist speaking to Fox on Sunday, Iran’s drone swarms present a significant and credible threat to the Lincoln and its accompanying strike group.

The senior U.S. official clarified that the Lincoln is not currently prepared for any prospective strikes targeting Iran.

Cameron Chell, CEO and co-founder of Draganfly, explained to Fox News that Iran has developed an “effective asymmetric threat against highly sophisticated military systems” by utilizing its drone fleet, which combines “low-cost warheads with inexpensive delivery platforms.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln navigates the Pacific Ocean. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Daniel Kimmelman)

Chell said Iran can launch large numbers of relatively unsophisticated drones directly at naval vessels, creating saturation attacks that could overwhelm traditional defenses.

“If hundreds are launched in a short period of time, some are almost certain to get through,” Chell said.

“Modern defense systems were not originally designed to counter that kind of saturation attack. For U.S. surface vessels operating near Iran, warships are prime targets,” he added.

Reports say Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has gone underground. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

U.S. officials say Washington is reinforcing its military posture in response to growing instability inside Iran, boosting its presence by air, land and sea, while closely monitoring developments in Syria.

A squadron of F-15 fighter jets has deployed to the region, and C-17 aircraft carrying heavy equipment have arrived.

Chell noted that U.S. and allied militaries are rapidly developing defenses but uncertainty over new capabilities on the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier groups for managing multiple Iranian drones flying in formation remains. He emphasized that Iran’s drone fleet is a concern.

Iranian drone swarms could pose a threat to the U.S. (Getty Images )

“These drones give Iran a very credible way to threaten surface vessels,” he said. “U.S. assets in the region are large, slow-moving and easily identifiable on radar, which makes them targetable.”

“Iran’s strength lies instead in these low-cost, high-volume drone systems — particularly one-way strike drones designed to fly into a target and detonate,” he said.