A US Navy uncrewed surface drone was used for the first time to rescue the crew of a downed Apache chopper near the coast of Oman, marking a new era in unmanned warfare.
The Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down while patrolling the Strait of Hormuz regional waters, prompting US President Donald Trump to blame Iran and launch strikes against Tehran.
The soldiers rescued were in stable condition, and the successful rescue mission highlights the capabilities of the Corsair sea drone.
The Corsair is a speedboat-style drone designed to operate without a crew, with a 24ft length, 1,000nm range, 454kg carrying capacity, and 35 knots top speed.
Equipped with sensors for 360-degree passive sensing capabilities, the Corsair located the two crew members after they had spent about two hours in the water and transported them to safety.
The drone was operated by Task Force 59, part of the US Navy's 5th Fleet, which is dedicated to integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into daily maritime operations.
The successful rescue mission represents an expansion of the mission set for sea drones, which have primarily been used for surveillance, mine detection, and tracking enemy activity.
