U.S. deploys explosive drone boats against Iranian targets
Originally published Jul 14, 2026
By Jeremy Hsu · Ars Technica
AI-generated summary based on Ars Technica · Aggregated by OffScreenSpace · Human-reviewed and approved on Jul 14, 2026
Key points
- U.S. forces employed explosive‑laden drone boats against Iranian naval assets.
- The drones approached low‑speed, uncontested before detonating on target.
- Saronic Technologies' Corsair vessels can travel 1,000 nautical miles carrying 1,000 pounds.
- This is the first combat use of U.S. sea drones since 2026.
For the first time, U.S. forces used one‑way attack surface drones to strike an Iranian midget submarine and a naval maintenance facility at Bandar Abbas. Unclassified footage released by U.S. Central Command shows three autonomous boat‑borne explosives approaching the target before detonating.
The drones, built by Saronic Technologies, are 24‑foot Corsair vessels capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds of payload and traveling over 1,000 nautical miles at speeds above 34 knots. The operation follows earlier U.S. use of a similar drone boat to rescue downed Army pilots off Oman and marks a new phase in maritime unmanned warfare amid the ongoing conflict that began in February 2026.
Read the original story: Ars Technica — by Jeremy Hsu