US Navy uses drone boat to rescue Apache pilots who crashed near Strait of Hormuz
US Navy uses drone boat to rescue Apache pilots who crashed near Strait of Hormuz
Publish Date: 2026-06-09 17:38:00
Source Domain: nypost.com
A US drone boat conducted a first-of-its-kind rescue mission to save the crew of an American Apache helicopter that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the military said.
The 24-foot Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessel, powered by artificial intelligence, located the crew who had been stuck for two hours in the waters off the coast of Oman, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The unmanned autonomous vessel, capable of carrying 1,000 pounds and reaching speeds of about 40 mph, quickly transported the pilots to a safe location in the waters, where they were hoisted up by a rescue chopper, officials said.
Corsair, a vessel manufactured by Saronic Technologies, is pictured Saronic Technologies
A US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter banks sharply during a low-level flight maneuver against a partly cloudy sky. Utah National Guard Public Affairs
The Seahawk is a fully unmanned and autonomous vessel operated by Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 1 and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific. Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
The operation marks the first time a high-tech US Navy drone deployed to the Middle East was used to conduct a rescue mission.
The Corsair is manufactured by Texas-based Saronic Technologies and is a part of the Navy’s Task Force 59, which oversees uncrewed vessels and other drones powered by AI.
Former Navy Secretary John Phelan had praised Saronic’s work last December after they produced the fully functional Corsair just 12 months after presenting a promising prototype, with the completed version capable of sailing for more than 1,000 miles.
The company received a nearly $400 million production contract for its Corsair vessels at the time, with each unit estimated to cost about $1 million to produce.
A Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) is used during an exercise in April 2026. 22nd Naval Construction Regiment
The company has said it…
