US Deploys Fast Drone Boats Against Iran, First Official Acknowledgment
First Official Confirmation Reveals Troubled Fleet in Active Conflict
The Pentagon confirmed a new frontline reality Thursday: US fast drone boats are now patrolling against Iran. This marks Washington’s first official acknowledgment of deploying such unmanned vessels in an active conflict zone.
The disclosure arrives after years of the US Navy’s ambitious unmanned surface vessel program being plagued by delays and technical setbacks. Reports last year, including one from Reuters, detailed persistent issues, despite the strategic push for a cheaper, faster-deploying alternative to traditional manned ships and submarines—especially crucial for countering China’s growing naval influence in the Pacific.
Yet, adversaries have long demonstrated effective drone capabilities. Ukraine has inflicted significant damage on Russia’s Black Sea fleet using explosive-laden fast drones. Iran itself has deployed naval drones, attacking oil tankers in the Gulf at least twice, even as no previous US drone use in offensive operations had been indicated.
These newly deployed US vessels, capable of surveillance or suicide attacks, had remained unannounced until now. CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins, responding to questions, identified the Maryland-based Black Sea company’s “Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Vessel” (GARV), known as “Mantis,” as active in the US campaign against Iran, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.”
Hawkins offered specific metrics: “US forces continue to utilize uncrewed systems in the Middle East region, including unmanned surface vessels like GARV. This particular type has logged over 450 underway hours and traversed more than 2,200 nautical miles during maritime patrols supporting Operation Epic Fury.”
He declined to detail other unmanned systems involved. Black Sea company representatives offered no comment.
This deployment contrasts sharply with the GARV’s troubled development. The angular, five-meter Mantis reportedly suffered numerous performance and safety issues, including a high-speed collision with another vessel during military testing. A source familiar with the program revealed another Mantis broke down during a recent failed test in the Middle East within weeks of its reported operational debut.
Hawkins sidestepped questions about these testing setbacks. He instead positioned the GARV system as an “emerging capability,” part of the US Fifth Fleet’s broader surface drone fleet, intended to enhance “maritime domain awareness.” The operational deployment of a system still facing significant developmental hurdles underscores the urgent strategic imperative driving naval innovation, even if the technology remains imperfect.
