A US Navy drone boat rescued two Army pilots from the water near the Strait of Hormuz after their AH-64 Apache helicopter went down off Oman. The June 8 incident marks the first known use of an uncrewed vessel for such a maritime rescue by the US military.
The rescue occurred at 7:33 pm Eastern Time on June 8, according to a US Central Command statement. Task Force 59 operated the Corsair unmanned surface vessel, which picked up the crew and delivered them to a location for helicopter extraction. Captain Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson, confirmed the Corsair is a 24-foot vessel built by Saronic Technologies of Austin, Texas. The drone can carry up to 1,000 pounds, reach speeds above 34 knots, and operate autonomously for extended periods. President Donald Trump posted on social media on June 9 that Iranian forces had shot down the helicopter. The cause remains unclear, with initial reports citing possible mechanical failure or other issues alongside the claim of hostile fire. The Strait of Hormuz has seen heightened tensions since February 2026, with shipping traffic largely halted amid ongoing US and Israeli operations against Iran.
