The United States has deployed unmanned drone speedboats for patrols as part of its operations against Iran, marking the first time Washington has confirmed using such vessels in an active conflict.
This deployment comes despite a series of setbacks in the U.S. Navy’s years-long effort to field a fleet of uncrewed surface vessels. The Pentagon stated that unmanned vessels built by Maryland-based BlackSea, known as the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft or GARC, have been used for patrols under Operation Epic Fury.
The GARC platform has logged over 450 underway hours and more than 2,200 nautical miles during maritime patrols in support of the operation. However, it faced multiple performance and safety issues previously, including a collision with another boat at speed during a military test.
Despite these setbacks, the U.S. continues to employ unmanned systems in the Middle East region, highlighting the ongoing challenge and importance of autonomous vessels in modern naval operations.