Unmanned boat model saves American pilot’s life near Hormuz

Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency in charge of US military operations in the Middle East, said on June 9 that the unmanned boat participating in rescuing the crew of the AH-64 Apache helicopter that crashed near the coast of Oman was the Corsair line, operated by Task Force No. 59 of the 5th Fleet and put into use in the region since the end of March.

The two pilots were adrift at sea for about 2 hours before being rescued. CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins said they were transported by a Corsair to another location at sea, then lifted onto a helicopter by winch to evacuate to shore. This is the first time information has appeared that unmanned boats (USVs) were used by the US military to directly rescue soldiers at sea.

The US Navy in December 2025 signed an agreement worth nearly 400 million USD with Saronic company to produce USV Corsair. The vehicle is more than 7 meters long, has a speedboat-like design, launched in 2024, has a range of more than 1,800 km, a maximum speed of about 65 km/h and a load of 450 kg.

Corsair is called by the manufacturer an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) with a high degree of autonomy, in which humans can control via data transmission. “Corsair is capable of performing solo missions or working together in swarms with very little human intervention, to deter or respond to threats from the enemy,” Saronic said.

Using redundant communications and passive perception capabilities, Corsair can “automatically detect, track, engage and engage targets in contested and communications-intercepted environments.”

Joseph Trevithick, editor of the American military website War Zoneassessed these capabilities as suitable for the current needs of the US military in the Middle East, especially in the task of blockading Iranian seaports.

“Corsair will provide a low-risk method to closely follow vessels trying to enter and exit the area. The ability to automatically detect and track targets can also support the search and rescue process of Apache flight crew. It should be noted that the ability to automatically detect targets is also an important factor for Corsair to move safely day and night,” Trevithick said.

Images released by Saronic show that Corsair mainly carries equipment for surveillance and reconnaissance roles, such as cameras, antennas and commercial maritime navigation radar. The company has mentioned the possibility of integrating other equipment, such as a suicide drone launcher, to help this USV model perform more missions.

According to Trevithick, the US Navy has proven the value of USVs in particular and unmanned equipment in general in search and rescue missions, especially in the face of increasing threats from anti-aircraft weapons.

“Search and rescue activities always pose many risks and complexities, especially when conducted in or near enemy territory. The rescue operation of the F-15E pilot in Iran shows the dangers that rescue forces must face,” the American expert noted.

An anonymous US official said that the country’s special forces units had to destroy 6 aircraft, including two MC-130J transport aircraft and 4 helicopters, to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands during the operation to save the F-15E pilot. An A-10 attack was also shot down while supporting the search force.

“There is always the risk of losing additional vehicles and human resources during the search and rescue process, regardless of where this mission takes place,” Trevithick stated.

According to Trevithick, using USV to rescue Apache helicopter pilots has opened up a new direction for search and rescue missions at sea. USVs can be pre-positioned at many locations along a certain flight route, ready to perform rescue missions in case of an incident, which is difficult to do with manned vehicles.

They also have the ability to penetrate areas that traditional means cannot, while not posing a risk to human life. “Drones will become increasingly involved in rescue efforts, especially in hostile environments,” Trevithick commented.

Established in 2021 and stationed in Bahrain, the 59th Task Force is the US Navy’s first unit specializing in unmanned equipment.

This force is tasked with expanding the use of unmanned vehicles in combat operations, while promoting the application of capabilities based on AI technology and machine learning in the Middle East. The 59th Task Force has operated many different types of USVs and drones over the years, but it is unclear how many Corsairs they have in service.