
https://www.flickr.com/photos/185342800@N08/55448737540/in/datetaken/lightbox/
While certainly not as imposing as its bigger sibling from Saronic, they have been used in actual SAR missions, e.g., a Corsair operated by Task Force 59 in Bahrain is credited with rescuing two downed AH-65 Apache crewmembers in the coastal waters of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz on the night of 8 June 2026, the first such rescue in history.
Another small operational USV with USVRON-3 is BlackSea Technologies' 16-foot Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/185342800@N08/55447433307/in/datetaken/lightbox/
In a SINKEX conducted as part of RIMPAC 2026, two USVRON-3 GARC USVs conducted a live-fire attack on decommissioned USS Peleliu (LHA 5) on 17 July 2026 off Kauai, Hawaii. The low-profile, autonomous surface vessels each delivered a 454-kilogram warhead against Peleliu's hull following the primary long-range missile and air strikes by manned assets. Operating after the target's simulated defenses were disrupted, the uncrewed craft were able to navigate through surface debris and detonate near the waterline to produce localized structural damage and internal flooding that hastened its demise. Photos of the damage they inflicted can be found online on the DVIDS site and others.
It is interesting we took the above photos and saw these little boats operating around San Diego Bay and surrounding waters on a daily basis in August, but by our next visit in late September, they'd all disappeared. We suspect they had or were getting ready to deploy - we do know a couple of the larger USVs were publicly announced as accompanying USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) when she deployed at the end of the month to the Mideast, maybe the small USVs went along with her too.
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