The US military conducted its first combat operation using explosive drone boats on the night of July 12, striking an Iranian midget submarine and ship maintenance facility at Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base. US Central Command described the deployment of three "one-way attack surface drones" as the first time American forces employed sea drones in combat operations. The unprecedented use of such kamikaze sea drones by the United States comes nearly a decade after Iranian and Houthi forces first demonstrated similar weapons.
US Drones Strike Iranian Submarine and Naval Facility on July 12
The US military shared a video showing three drone boats exploding after approaching their targets at Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base. US Central Command, the US military combat command responsible for Middle East operations, described the strikes in a social media post. According to USNI News, a news service from the nonprofit US Naval Institute, the US drone boats were able to "make a low-speed, uncontested approach" to their targets before exploding. USNI News identified one of the targets as an Iranian Ghadir-class midget submarine that was out of the water while being suspended from a gantry.
Saronic Corsair Technology Powers Drone Boat Strikes
The strikes involved Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessels developed by Saronic Technologies, a defense company based in Austin, Texas. The company's website describes the drone boat as being 24 feet in length and capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds over 1,000 nautical miles at a top speed surpassing 34 knots. According to a Saronic blog post, such Corsair drone boats have the capability to operate autonomously without direct human control, including long-range navigation and patrol missions along with regulating power consumption and engine use to loiter at a specific position. The vessels are designed to perform a wide variety of missions and were likely equipped with explosives for this specific strike.
US Military Previously Used Corsair Drone for Helicopter Pilot Rescue on June 8
This marks the second notable US military use of drone boats during the war, which began with the United States and Israel attacking Iran on February 28, 2026. The US military used a Corsair sea drone to rescue two US Army helicopter pilots in the waters off the coast of Oman on June 8, after their US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter was taken down by a cheap Iranian Shahed drone.
FAQ
What did the US military attack with drone boats on July 12?
The US military attacked an Iranian midget submarine and ship maintenance facility at Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base using three explosive drone boats on the night of July 12.
What technology did the US military use for the drone boat strikes?
The US military used Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessels developed by Saronic Technologies, a defense company based in Austin, Texas. The drone boats are 24 feet in length and capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds over 1,000 nautical miles at a top speed surpassing 34 knots.
How did the US military previously use Corsair drone boats?
The US military used a Corsair sea drone to rescue two US Army helicopter pilots in the waters off the coast of Oman on June 8, after their helicopter was taken down by an Iranian Shahed drone.
