Illustrative image. (Saronic)
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on July 13 that its forces used multiple one-way attack surface drones to successfully strike a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran a day earlier.
“Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations,” the command said in a statement.
The command added that the attack with surface drones “degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping.”
Video footage released by CENTCOM shows all three surface drones impacting the facility, where a small submarine was lifted up from the water for repairs.
The Corsair is a 24-foot surface drone that was designed by Saronic for rugged, long-duration missions. The drones can operate at speeds greater than 35 knots and carry more than 450 kilograms over 1,000 nautical miles, according to the company’s product specifications.
These surfaced drones are equipped with sensors that provide 360-degree passive sensing capabilities for day and night operations.
Just last month, a Corsair surface drone was used to find and recover an American pilot and a weapon systems officer who were stranded near the Strait of Hormuz after their U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed during a patrol operation.
These surface drones are mainly operated by the U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59, which was established in 2021 to rapidly integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into fleet operations and boost maritime surveillance and deterrence across the strategic waterways of the Middle East.
This new capability will challenge Iran, though it is unlikely to shift the current balance of power in the Persian Gulf, as the Islamic Republic has long since adapted to America’s firepower. Most of Iran’s offensive capabilities, including its anti-ship missiles, remain tucked away inland in deep tunnels.
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iran will take this punch and go about its business. it can end extend removal of all regional energy export commerce tonight. and tomorrow, again. no matter the globalist pirates desires. yemen can also close the red sea upon request
iran is being destroyed!
heheheh