The assault on Bandar Abbas marked the primary confirmed fight use of U.S. unmanned floor vessels (USVs), with three Saronic Corsair drone boats hanging a submarine and ship upkeep facility.
The U.S. army has confirmed that it employed armed Unmanned Floor Vessels (USVs) in fight for the primary time on July 12, 2026. In line with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), three Saronic Corsair USVs had been used to strike Bandar Abbas Naval Base, Iran’s predominant base overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, concentrating on a submarine and ship upkeep facility.
“Yesterday, utilizing a number of one-way assault floor drones, CENTCOM forces efficiently struck a submarine and ship upkeep facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned floor vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the primary time American forces have employed sea drones in fight operations,” CENTCOM stated in an announcement posted on social media.
Yesterday, utilizing a number of one-way assault floor drones, CENTCOM forces efficiently struck a submarine and ship upkeep facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned floor vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the primary time American forces have employed sea… pic.twitter.com/bOM2kmgRxz
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 13, 2026
In line with the command, the strike was supposed to degrade Iran’s skill to proceed assaults towards industrial delivery transiting the strategically necessary waterway. The assault additionally comes because the U.S. declares that it’s going to resume the naval blockade towards Iran.
Video of the assault
A 25-second video launched by CENTCOM reveals the three unmanned vessels independently approaching the Iranian naval set up earlier than exploding on affect. The footage contains each overhead imagery from an Unmanned Aerial Vessel (UAV) in addition to onboard video from one of many Corsair USVs throughout its last strategy towards the pier.
The latter supplied a view of what has been recognized as a Ghadir-class midget submarine positioned on a upkeep gantry. The submarine, of which as much as 23 had been constructed, has a reported displacement of 115 tons and is designed to be used in shallow littoral waters.
The video ends instantly after the explosions, offering no indication of the extent of the ensuing harm. The pictures nonetheless had been sufficient to permit a geolocalization, exhibiting that the Corsairs had been in a position to enter deep into the bottom earlier than detonating.
Geolocation of a CENTCOM strike on an Iranian Navy upkeep facility, marking the primary fight use of one-way assault unmanned floor vessels (USVs) by American forces.
C: 27.140700, 56.211584S: pic.twitter.com/OGRrH9uzr7
— Aryan (@GEOIMINT) July 13, 2026
First strike by U.S. sea drones
The U.S. Navy has employed Unmanned Floor Vessels (USVs) for a number of years, nonetheless that is the primary confirmed occasion of their use to strike an adversary. Particularly, the USVs have been described as one-way assault floor drones, according to the definition of one-way assault drones attributed to the so-called ‘kamikaze’ drones such because the U.S.-made LUCAS or the Iranian Shahed.
The Corsair, developed by Texas-based Saronic, is a 24-foot autonomous floor vessel able to carrying payloads of as much as 1,000 kilos, both sensors or explosive. The USV can sail over distances exceeding 1,000 nautical miles, whereas reaching speeds of roughly 35 knots.
The U.S. army confirmed a number of army variant Saronic Corsairs, our 24ft ASV, had been utilized in strikes to degrade Iran’s skill to proceed attacking industrial delivery — marking the primary time American forces have employed sea drones in fight operations.
We’re proud…
— Saronic (@Saronic) July 13, 2026
The platform options an open structure designed to combine totally different payloads, which permit missions starting from Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) to logistics and kinetic operations.
From experimentation to fight
The Corsair had already gained operational visibility in the course of the present Center East battle. In reality, final month, a Corsair operated by Process Power 59 (TF59) was used to rescue two U.S. Military personnel after their AH-64 Apache crashed off the coast of Oman.
The U.S. may have used a missile. As a substitute, it used a Saronic Corsair unmanned floor vessel in its first operational strike.
The assault examined the drone in fight, uncovered weak IRGC defenses and will point out the U.S. is making use of classes realized from Ukraine’s battlefield… pic.twitter.com/YWgcJhNVP6
— Open Supply Intel (@Osint613) July 13, 2026
In line with CENTCOM, the unmanned vessel positioned and recovered the aircrew, marking one of many first publicly acknowledged operational makes use of of an autonomous floor craft in a search and rescue (SAR) mission. TF 59 is headquartered in Bahrain, inside the U.S. Fifth Fleet space of duty, since 2021 to function and consider the evolving use of USVs and synthetic intelligence (AI) within the naval area.
Most of TF59’s USVs are used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) duties, with some specialist roles together with mine detection and communications relays. The duty pressure started fielding Corsair USVs earlier this 12 months as a part of its broader effort to operationalize unmanned maritime capabilities.
Curiously, a U.S. protection official advised USNI Information that the Bandar Abbas operation was carried out instantly by CENTCOM somewhat than by Process Power 59 or the U.S. Navy. It’s unclear if this may point out the aptitude has now transitioned into operational employment beneath joint command constructions.
Classes from current conflicts
The operational idea behind the Corsairs’ strike towards Bandar Abbas mirrors developments noticed in current conflicts, notably Ukraine’s in depth use of explosive unmanned floor vessels towards Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. In reality, as we frequently reported, Ukrainian forces have repeatedly demonstrated how comparatively cheap autonomous boats can threaten a lot bigger naval property and coastal infrastructure.
Following President Donald J. Trump’s announcement this morning that the U.S. naval blockade of Iran will resume, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed blockade operations will resume at 4:00 p.m. ET on July 14.
Throughout the earlier 66-day blockade (April 13–June 18), U.S.… pic.twitter.com/ZfCZppnhlI
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 13, 2026
This compelled Russia to relocate vital parts of its fleet away from occupied Crimea whereas investing closely in counter-USV defenses. The USVs had been additionally utilized in different roles, together with as anti-aircraft property with the usage of tailored infrared-guided air-to-air missiles.
Iran and its regional proxies have additionally experimented with explosive floor craft for years. The Houthis notably employed explosive-laden USVs in assaults towards naval vessels within the Purple Sea.
