Iran Is Accused of Downing a US Apache. A Robot Boat Pulled the Crew to Safety
The operation marked the Navy’s first successful unmanned at-sea rescue, as the task force has spent five years testing crewless vessels in the Middle East.
- On Monday, a U.S. Navy Corsair drone boat rescued two Army pilots after their AH-64 Apache helicopter was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz off Oman's coast.
- The U.S. 5th Fleet's Task Force 59, based in Bahrain, conducted the operation after five years of experimenting with unmanned systems to monitor Iranian vessels and regional maritime activity.
- Captain Tim Hawkins, U.S. Central Command Spokesperson, confirmed the Corsair unmanned surface vessel performed the rescue, marking the first time such technology saved troops during active combat operations.
- Amid escalating hostilities, President Donald Trump stated "the pilots are fine," as U.S. forces launched retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian military sites in the Gulf following the helicopter downing.
- The operation demonstrates how battlefield commanders increasingly rely on autonomous systems for rescue missions, though officials caution that robotics have limits without medical personnel or area security forces present.
56 Articles
56 Articles
Vibhav Altekar's Corsair Drone Boat Makes History in US Military Rescue Mission Near Strait of Hormuz; All About the Indian-Origin Tech Executive
An autonomous drone boat developed by Indian-origin CTO Vibhav Altekar's company, Saronic Technologies, rescued two US Army helicopter crew members in the Strait of Hormuz. Marked as the first unmanned vessel rescue in military history, the diesel-powered 'Corsair' operates under Task Force 59 to deploy AI across naval defense. Vibhav Altekar's Corsair Drone Boat Makes History in US Military Rescue Mission Near Strait of Hormuz; All About the In…
The Accidental CSAR Opportunity - Armed Forces Press
...it is a gift, delivered right to our quarterdeck... You simply cannot buy PR like this. For the last couple of days, I’ve had a big smile on my face for the good people from Saronic. Bravo Zulu fellas. Bravo Zulu. Via Brandi Vincent at Defense Scoop: The American military deployed an autonomous Corsair maritime drone built by Saronic to find and recover two soldiers who were stranded near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after their Army AH-64…
An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down near Iran. Take a closer look at its weapons and capabilities.
An AH-64E Apache attack helicopter parked on a tarmac.US Army National Guard photo by Edwin L. WristonAn Apache attack helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday local time amid the US war with Iran.AH-64 Apaches, produced by Boeing, are among the most advanced attack helicopters in the world.They can shoot Hellfire missiles, Hydra 70 rockets, and 30 mm chain gun rounds.The AH-64 Apache is one of the most advanced attack helicopte…
Saronic’s drone boat made history rescuing Apache crew off Oman
A U.S. Navy unmanned surface vessel located and recovered the aviators from a downed Army helicopter on June 8, 2026, near the coast of Oman, transporting them to a safe point on the water before they were airlifted to safety, in what appears to be the first publicly reported personnel recovery by an unmanned surface […]
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