On July 12, the U.S. military deployed Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in a combat operation, striking a submarine and ship maintenance facility at Iran's Bandar Abbas naval base. This marks the first time American forces have used sea drones in combat, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The strikes were part of a larger series of attacks on "dozens" of Iranian military targets, including air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, and missile and drone capabilities, aimed at degrading Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Corsair USVs, built by Saronic, are 24-foot vessels with a range of over 1,000 nautical miles and a payload capacity of 1,000 pounds, capable of surging at 35 knots. These "one-way attack surface drones" were operated by U.S. 5th Fleet's Task Force 59, a unit established in 2021 to integrate uncrewed and AI capabilities into naval operations in the Middle East. The use of USVs in an attack role provides a new vector for kinetic operations, potentially reducing the burden on traditional aircraft and crews and complicating enemy defensive plans.
This combat deployment follows earlier non-combat uses of the Corsair USV. In June, a Corsair USV operated by Task Force 59 rescued two U.S. Army soldiers whose AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz after being downed by Iran. This was the first known instance of a drone boat being used for personnel recovery in a search and rescue mission. The increasing operationalization of these technologies by Task Force 59 highlights a strategic shift in naval acquisition, leveraging commercial solutions for rapid fielding of unmanned capabilities.
The escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, primarily over control of the Strait of Hormuz, have led to a jump in oil prices, with Brent crude rising over 3% on Monday. President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a naval blockade on Iran and a 20% tariff on all cargo shipped through the strait. Iran, in response, has initiated discussions about laying naval mines in the strait, a critical chokepoint through which approximately 20% of global oil shipments and 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas usually pass. This continued exchange of strikes casts doubt on a preliminary agreement signed in June to end their four-month conflict and reopen the strait, with the U.S. asserting its intention to ensure freedom of navigation.
