Navy eyes drone boats for Middle East missile launches, high-seas interdiction
- January 23, 2024
Navy eyes drone boats for Middle East missile launches, high-seas interdiction | Stars and Stripes
The U.S. Navy’s drone boats in the Middle East are moving out of testing and into combat-ready roles under a new unit based in Bahrain. Experimental unmanned surface vessels operated by the service’s Task Group 59.1 could be used to launch missiles at enemy targets and to guide special operations teams, among other operations, said Navy Lt. Luis Echeverria, the unit commander. Echeverria took charge of the unit, which includes civilian contractors and seven sailors, on Jan. 3 at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the headquarters of the 5th Fleet. Middle Eastern waters have become battlegrounds in recent months as Houthi militants in Yemen have fired missiles at commercial shipping. In response, the Navy has shot down drone swarms and launched strikes to take out Houthi weapons stocks.
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Source - Stars and Stripes
