For the first time ever, a US Navy autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) rescued two US Army helicopter crew members after their Apache helicopter was shot down in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman.
In a statement provided by US Central Command to Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post, US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, US Central Command Spokesperson said that “the surface drone that assisted in Monday night’s rescue of the Apache crew off the coast of Oman was a US Navy Corsair unmanned surface vessel operated by US 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59.”
A Saronic Technologies spokesperson told D&T that “the US military has acknowledged that a Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessel was used in the recent rescue operation following the downing of a US Army helicopter.”
US Central Command said that “the soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition.” The ASV took the two to another location on the water where they were picked up by a helicopter that took them to shore.
Saronic’s Corsair was under the operational lead of the US Naval Force Central Command (NAVCENT) and the 82nd Airborne Division with Task Force 59. Task Force 59 is NAVCENT’s Unmanned Systems Unit, and it is the navy’s primary hub for integrating drones and AI‑enabled maritime platforms.
Unmanned Surface Vehicles have long been deployed in sea mine clearance missions to minimize risk to sailors. But the rescue by the Corsair marks the first time that troops have been saved during combat.
The ASV was first unveiled in October 2024, and the company has since built over 300 platforms.
The platforms are 24 feet long and capable of carrying 1,000 pounds with an endurance of over 1,000 nautical miles and a top speed of 35 knots. The platforms are designed to operate independently or in networked swarms with a human operator in the loop via data link. According to the company, the vessel has logged over 100,000 nautical miles, including multiday missions.
While it is unclear how many Corsairs have been delivered to the navy, Task Force 59 began fielding them in late March after the navy signed a deal worth $392 million with Saronic in December 2024.
Just days before the rescue, Saronic held a demonstration of Corsair with US military officials overseeing strategic port operations and deployment logistics.
Lt.-Col. Lauren Cabral, commander of the 834th Transportation Battalion, was quoted as saying that “there is an opportunity for us to be able to utilize this equipment and this piece of technology here that would help us in protecting that restricted area along the waterside. It’s another phenomenal opportunity for the Coast Guard to be able to use this type of equipment, as well as most of the authorities sort of lie under their portfolio to be able to exercise that.”
More drone boats
The Pentagon has been investing in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles as a cost-effective way to expand the Navy’s reach and capabilities in complex maritime environments. Reuters said that the Navy plans to deploy potentially thousands of Corsairs.
In July, the Pentagon announced that it was looking for USVs capable of carrying large payloads, including missiles, thousands of miles at sea. According to a solicitation by the navy, the Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) program will see a high-endurance USV to meet the need for a fast, high-capacity, embarked payloads platform.
“MASC seeks to leverage cutting-edge technologies and modular design principles to create adaptable and resilient solutions that can effectively counter evolving threats,” the solicitation read.
MASC is also looking for platforms that can operate at high speeds in rough sea conditions, are interoperable with existing US Navy systems, and are capable of autonomous maneuvering with and without radio frequency (RF) missions, and with open architecture software, as well as software that allows for multiple USVs to be controlled simultaneously.
