The Pentagon has confirmed that the United States has deployed uncrewed drone speedboats for maritime patrols as part of its ongoing operations against Iran, marking the first official acknowledgment of such vessels being used in an active conflict.
Lahore Announces Local Holiday for Mela Chiraghan Festival
According to Pentagon spokesperson Tim Hawkins, the unmanned vessels—known as the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC)—have been actively deployed under the US military campaign dubbed Operation Epic Fury. These drone boats are capable of conducting surveillance missions and can also be configured for potential kamikaze-style strikes, although no offensive use has been confirmed so far.
Hawkins stated that the GARC platform has logged more than 450 operational hours and covered over 2,200 nautical miles during patrol missions in the region. The vessels are designed to enhance maritime awareness and support naval operations without putting personnel at risk.
The deployment comes amid growing reliance on unmanned systems in modern warfare. In recent years, such technologies gained prominence after Ukraine used explosive-laden sea drones to damage Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, highlighting their effectiveness in asymmetric naval warfare.
Iran has also been accused of deploying sea drones in attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf since tensions escalated following US and Israeli strikes. However, there has been no confirmation that US drone boats have been used for direct attacks in the current conflict.
The GARC vessels are developed by Maryland-based company BlackSea, though the firm declined to comment on their deployment.
Despite their operational use, the US Navy’s broader effort to develop a fleet of unmanned surface and underwater vessels has faced significant challenges. The program, aimed at providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional warships and submarines—particularly in countering China’s growing naval capabilities—has encountered delays, technical issues, and budget concerns.
Reports have previously highlighted safety and performance problems with the GARC system, including a collision during testing and a recent incident in the Middle East where one vessel became inoperable.
Hawkins did not address these setbacks but described the system as an “emerging capability” being utilized by the US 5th Fleet to improve surveillance and situational awareness in regional waters.
The development signals a continued shift toward autonomous warfare technologies as tensions persist in the Middle East.
