The Pentagon has confirmed the deployment of uncrewed autonomous drone vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, marking a major shift in naval warfare tactics amid escalating operations against Iran.
According to the official Pentagon statement, the vessels, known as Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) are now actively patrolling under Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-led campaign launched on 28 February 2026.
Key operational details released:
- More than 450 hours of underway time logged
- Over 2,200 nautical miles covered in the Gulf
- Capable of long-range surveillance and kamikaze-style strike missions
The low-cost drone boats (approximately $250,000 each) are designed as an asymmetric counter to Iranian fast-attack craft, explosive skiffs, mines, and anti-ship missiles, offering a fraction of the cost of a traditional U.S. Navy destroyer (valued at roughly $2 billion).
The move draws directly from lessons learned in the Ukraine conflict, where low-cost drone boats repeatedly crippled Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The Pentagon describes the Hormuz deployment as a live testing ground for the future of naval warfare in one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, through which approximately 20% of global oil passes daily.
