US military uses explosive drone boats in combat for first time
The US military deployed one-way attack surface drones for the first time, striking an Iranian midget submarine and naval base in Bandar Abbas.
For the first time in its history, the US military has used explosive-laden drone boats in combat, targeting an Iranian midget submarine and a naval port. The attack occurred on the night of July 12, when three "one-way attack surface drones" approached and detonated near a Ghadir-class midget submarine suspended from a gantry at Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base.
US Central Command confirmed the operation as the "first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations." According to USNI News, the drone boats made a low-speed, uncontested approach before exploding. The video shared by the US military showed the drones striking their targets.
The technology behind the strike involves Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessels, developed by Saronic Technologies in Austin, Texas. These 24-foot drones can carry up to 1,000 pounds over 1,000 nautical miles at speeds exceeding 34 knots. They are capable of fully autonomous operation, including navigation, patrol, and station-keeping.
This is the second notable use of drone boats by the US in the current war, which began on February 28, 2026, with the US and Israel attacking Iran. The first instance was on June 8, when a Corsair drone rescued two US Army helicopter pilots off the coast of Oman after their AH-64 Apache was shot down by an Iranian Shahed drone.
