The United States Navy has used a drone boat in a maritime rescue mission for the first time. The remotely piloted 7.3-metre Saronic Corsair was deployed near the Strait of Hormuz after an Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down, a spokesman for US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, the ABC reports.
Two crew members had been patrolling off the coast of Oman when their helicopter was struck.
“They were then hoisted up to a helicopter for further transport,” Captain Hawkins said.
Drone boats have been increasingly used in recent conflicts in various roles.
Analysts say the use of the Corsair in the high-stakes operation was another example of the growing importance of the vessels in modern warfare.
Corsair, built by US company Saronic Technologies, is part of the Pentagon’s push to expand the use of uncrewed vehicles alongside traditional military assets.
The drone can travel at speeds of up to 35 knots, or about 65km/h.
The full report is here.
