STRAIT OF HORMUZ — Two U.S. Army pilots were rescued by a U.S. Navy drone task force after their AH-64 attack helicopter crashed in Middle Eastern waters. The search and rescue mission utilized a Saronic Corsair unmanned surface vessel.

U.S. Central Command reported that the rescue operation lasted two hours, and the pilots were found in stable condition. This marked the first time the U.S. military publicly confirmed using an unmanned surface vessel for such an operation.

Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins stated, "The crew members were rescued by an uncrewed surface drone – a U.S. Navy Corsair – that was operated by Task Force 59." Task Force 59 was established on September 21, 2022, by Vice Admiral Brad Cooper. Operational hubs for the task force are located in Bahrain and Aqaba.

Cooper said, "I am excited about the direction we are headed." He said, "By harnessing these new unmanned technologies and combining them with artificial intelligence, we will enhance regional maritime security and strengthen deterrence. This benefits everybody."

The Navy announced its Digital Horizon initiative in 2022, which focuses on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence. Navy Capt. Michael Brasseur said, "The pace of innovation is amazing. We are challenging our industry partners in one of the most difficult operational environments, and they are responding with enhanced capability, fast. I am extremely proud of the entire team, including our many partners across government, academia, and industry, for their commitment to Digital Horizon as we discover new capabilities together." The Digital Horizon initiative will involve 17 industry partners providing 15 different types of unmanned systems, with 10 of these scheduled to operate with the 5th Fleet for the first time.