The Pentagon has confirmed that U.S. forces have deployed uncrewed drone speedboats, designated as the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC), for patrol operations against Iran. This marks the first time Washington has officially acknowledged using such armed surface vessels in an active conflict .

The vessels are currently operating under “Operation Epic Fury,” the U.S. campaign in the region. Pentagon spokesman Tim Hawkins stated that the GARC platform has “successfully logged over 450 underway hours and more than 2,200 nautical miles during maritime patrols” in support of the operation .

Specifications and Capabilities

Built by the Maryland-based company BlackSea Technologies, the GARC is a 16-foot (4.8-meter) long vessel with a beam of 5 feet 8 inches. It is powered by a 200-horsepower engine, giving it a top speed of 40 knots (approximately 74 km/h) .

The manufacturer notes the drone boat has a payload capacity of up to 1,000 pounds and is designed for high-speed, autonomous operations in harsh maritime conditions, including 15-foot seas . Its range is variable; it can travel up to 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) at slow speeds (6 knots) or over 400 nautical miles (740 km) at a cruising speed of 30 knots .

The modular design allows for various mission configurations, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, and surface warfare. It can be fitted with remote weapon stations, and is capable of “kamikaze-style” strikes or deploying its own smaller underwater drones .

The deployment comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf. Iran has used its own sea drones to attack oil tankers in the region at least twice since the U.S. and Israel began strikes against Iranian targets roughly a month ago . There is no indication that the U.S. has yet used the GARC for offensive strikes, focusing instead on surveillance and patrols .

The introduction of the GARC follows years of experimentation with uncrewed systems in the Middle East. The U.S. 5th Fleet previously operated Saildrone Explorers, though Iranian forces have attempted to seize those vessels in past incidents .

Despite the current operational success, the Navy’s unmanned fleet program has faced significant setbacks. Reuters reported last year that the GARC was involved in multiple performance and safety issues, including a collision with another boat at speed during a military test . Additionally, a source briefed on the matter stated that in recent weeks, a GARC boat became inoperable during a test in the Middle East .