For the first time in its history, the United States military has sent explosive-laden drone boats into combat, attacking an Iranian midget submarine and naval port. The unprecedented use of such kamikaze sea drones by the U.S. comes nearly a decade after Iranian and Houthi forces first demonstrated these weapons, signaling a dramatic shift in American naval strategy toward low-cost, asymmetric warfare.
The U.S. military released a video showing three “one-way attack surface drones” exploding after approaching an Iranian Ghadir-class midget submarine and a ship maintenance facility at Iran’s Bandar Abbas Naval Base on the night of July 12. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the combat command responsible for Middle East operations, described the strikes as the “first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations.” The drone boats made a “low-speed, uncontested approach” to their targets before detonating, according to USNI News, a service from the nonprofit U.S. Naval Institute. The submarine was out of the water, suspended from a gantry, making it a stationary target.
The technology behind 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 24 feet in length, capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds of payload over 1,000 nautical miles at a top speed exceeding 34 knots. These Corsair boats can operate autonomously without direct human control, handling long-range navigation, patrol missions, power management, and loitering at specific positions. For this strike, they were likely equipped with high-explosive warheads, turning them into precision kamikaze weapons.
This is the second notable U.S. military use of drone boats during the war, which began with the U.S. and Israel attacking Iran on February 28, 2026. Earlier, on June 8, a Corsair sea drone rescued two U.S. Army helicopter pilots in the waters off Oman after their AH-64 Apache was downed by a cheap Iranian Shahed drone. That rescue demonstrated the versatility of these unmanned surface vessels in non-kinetic roles.
A history of drone boat violence
The United States is far from the first to use exploding drone boats, also called kamikaze or suicide drone boats. The first confirmed use was on January 30, 2017, when Houthi forces in Yemen struck the Royal Saudi Naval frigate Al Madinah with an uncrewed remote-controlled boat. A U.S. Navy commander told Defense News that the Houthi weapon was likely developed with Iranian technical assistance, given Iran’s long-standing support for the group.
In more recent years, Ukraine has pioneered drone boat warfare since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Despite having no traditional navy, Ukraine used flying drones and explosive drone boats to attack Russian warships and tankers, forcing the Russian Black Sea Fleet to relocate to bases farther from Ukraine and disrupting vital shipping routes. Ukrainian drone boats have also achieved historic milestones: using missiles to shoot down Russian helicopters, acting as platforms to launch small flying drones against Russian air defenses, and even deploying an armed ground robot onto contested coastal territory in an unprecedented amphibious operation.
The U.S. move into drone boat combat mirrors these asymmetric tactics. The U.S. military has also been using one-way aerial attack drones for the first time—LUCAS drones, based largely on Iranian Shahed-type drones. Along with drone boats, the U.S. is following the example of less powerful actors who have used inexpensive drone weapons to great effect. The U.S. military is currently seeking a new generation of cheaper surveillance and strike drones, especially after losing dozens of costly hunter-killer Reaper drones worth over $1 billion in the war against Iran.
The Saronic Corsair represents a leap in affordable naval power. Unlike manned ships, these drone boats can be produced quickly and at low cost—potentially under $100,000 each versus millions for a patrol boat. Their autonomous capabilities allow them to operate in swarms, overwhelming enemy defenses without risking human life. The July 12 strike targeted a Ghadir-class submarine, a small coastal vessel Iran uses in the Persian Gulf. By destroying it in port, the U.S. prevented its deployment without a naval engagement.
The broader context of the U.S.-Iran war includes the collapse of a ceasefire and President Donald Trump’s renewed escalation against Iranian targets. The drone boat strikes were part of a larger attack involving conventional U.S. fighter aircraft and warships striking Iranian military infrastructure. The shift to drone boats signals a recognition that future naval conflicts will involve autonomous systems, requiring new doctrines and procurement strategies.
Technical details of the Corsair include a diesel engine, GPS-based navigation, and modular payload bays. The boats can carry sensors, cargo, or explosives. Their autonomous software uses machine learning to adapt to sea conditions and avoid obstacles. Saronic Technologies has been developing these vessels since 2020, with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. The company’s CEO stated that the Corsair is designed for “5th-generation naval warfare,” combining stealth, endurance, and networked operations.
The use of drone boats also raises legal and ethical questions. Under international law, autonomous weapons must be controlled by human operators who can ensure distinction and proportionality. The U.S. military has stated that its drone boats are remotely monitored and that final targeting decisions are made by humans. However, the “one-way attack” nature of these explosives means there is no recall once launched.
Asymmetric warfare has long been a tool of non-state actors, but the U.S. now embraces it to counter near-peer rivals like Iran. The success of the July 12 strike could accelerate the Pentagon’s plans to field more drone boats—and more advanced autonomous vessels like the Navy’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) and Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV). These are intended to complement manned warships, providing distributed lethality and reducing risk to personnel.
The first use of explosive drone boats by the U.S. military is a milestone in naval history. It demonstrates that even the world’s most powerful navy is adapting to the realities of low-cost, high-impact drone warfare. As the conflict with Iran continues, the waters of the Persian Gulf may see more of these silent, unmanned attackers.
Source:Ars Technica News