The US has confirmed for the first time that it is using maritime drones in the war against Iran
The United States has deployed unmanned high-speed boats for patrol duties as part of operations against Iran. This is the first time Washington has officially confirmed the use of such vessels in a military conflict, according to Reuters.
These are unmanned maritime platforms that can be used for surveillance or strikes. Their use had not previously been reported.
According to Pentagon spokesman Tim Hawkins, Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft-type unmanned boats are being used as part of Operation Epic Fury. These systems have already spent over 450 hours at sea and covered more than 2,200 nautical miles whilst on patrol.
Hawkins did not specify which other unmanned systems are being deployed in the region.
The use of maritime drones has become widespread in recent years. Ukraine has used such craft to strike at Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Iran, for its part, has also used maritime drones to attack oil tankers in the Persian Gulf following the start of US and Israeli strikes.
However, there is no information regarding the use of American unmanned boats for strike operations in this conflict.
The US has been working for several years on creating a fleet of autonomous maritime systems as a cheaper alternative to ships and submarines. However, these developments have been accompanied by technical problems, delays and failed tests.
In particular, incidents were recorded during testing where unmanned boats lost control or collided with other vessels.
