USA13 July, 20262 min read
U.S. Central Command Says Corsair Drones Hit Bandar Abbas Naval Base In Iran Strikes
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Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit Bandar Abbas Naval Base. It was the first time U.S. sea drones engaged in combat.
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Corsair drones hit Iran
The U.S. military used multiple one-way attack surface drones, with U.S. Central Command saying “Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base” during strikes on Sunday.
CENTCOM said the operation successfully struck “a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran,” and it released video footage of the maritime drones approaching their targets and exploding.
The DefenseScoop account says the Corsair maritime drone used in Sunday’s attack is made by Saronic and is described by the company as an “autonomous surface vessel.”
Business Insider added that the Corsair drones are 24 feet long, have a range of over 1,000 nautical miles, and carry a payload capacity of 1,000 pounds, and it said video shared by the command showed the drones maneuvering into the port area before hitting their targets.
Trump blockade and CENTCOM
In a social media post, President Donald Trump said, “We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving.” DefenseScoop reported that CENTCOM said the operation was part of a recently completed “new wave of offensive strikes” aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to continue attacking international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Breaking Defense described the same CENTCOM claim that “Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base,” and it said the strikes degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping. Breaking Defense also tied the timing to Trump’s Friday social media post that a ceasefire with Iran is “OVER,” and it said CENTCOM launched the fresh wave of offensive strikes just after that statement.
What comes next
DefenseScoop said CENTCOM’s recent strikes targeted Iranian drone and missile capabilities as well as other assets such as coastal radar sites and air defense systems, and it said the command also used one-way aerial drones during the assaults.
The Jerusalem Post reported that CENTCOM said it struck Iranian military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats using “US fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones, and one-way attack sea drones for the first time,” the command said.
The Jerusalem Post also quoted Adm. Brad Cooper saying, “Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage, and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” in connection with underwater drones joining a clearance effort in the Strait of Hormuz.
Task & Purpose said the weekend’s strike concluded on Sunday and that “More than 300 targets have been hit,” while it described the drone boats as one-way attack sea drones in combat for the first time as part of the operation.