US Navy sails first drone boat through Strait of Hormuz

Published on April 21, 2023

The United States Navy’s Task Force 59, known for its integration of artificial intelligence and uncrewed systems with crewed maritime vessels, sails its first drone boat through the Strait of Hormuz. American sailors are often faced with ‘tense encounters’ with Iranian forces given the critical use of the waterway for global energy supply movement.

The drone in question is an L3Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13. The MAST-13 is a speedboat that is 13 meters in length (41-feet) and equipped with sensors and cameras. The vessel was noticed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), but no incident was reported. The MAST-13 was able to peacefully sail between Iran and Oman, a movement which Navy spokesman Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins noted was in accordance with international law.

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