The U.S. Navy’s New Robotic Speedboats Hunting Iran

The Pentagon has officially confirmed the first-ever deployment of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in an active conflict as part of “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran. These autonomous speedboats, specifically the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) built by Maryland-based BlackSea, have logged over 450 hours and 2,200 nautical miles performing maritime patrols in the Middle East. While inspired by the successful use of sea drones by Ukraine in the Black Sea, the U.S. program has struggled with significant technical hurdles, including high-speed collisions and mechanical failures during testing. Despite these setbacks and Iran’s own use of “kamikaze” sea drones against tankers, the U.S. Navy is prioritizing these five-meter autonomous platforms as a cost-effective way to enhance regional surveillance and counter emerging naval threats without risking human sailors.