US military footage shows its first-ever suicide boat drone strike on Iran |
The American military on Monday published footage showing its first-ever operational use of suicide drone boats during strikes on Iran’s Bandar Abbas naval base the previous day.
“Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations,” the US Central Command said on X, attaching a video showing the drone boats maneuvering into the port and striking an Iranian submarine and ship maintenance facility.
“Last night’s strikes degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping,” CENTCOM added.
Corsair drones, manufactured by Saronic, are 24 feet (7.3 meters) long, can carry payloads of 1,000 pounds (450 kg), and boast a range of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,850 km), according to the company.
Last month, a US Navy drone rescued the crew from a downed US helicopter that was hit by an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz, also a first-ever such incident.
Uncrewed vessels have risen to prominence in recent years after Ukraine used explosive‑laden speedboats to inflict significant damage on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the........