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Iran’s Seizure Of US Navy Drones In Red Sea Puts Its Future In Jeopardy; Top Commander Questions USVs Utility

In an unprecedented series of events, the Iranian Navy recently seized two US Navy Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in the Red Sea and released them later. Following this incident, the surface drone program of the US Navy has come under scrutiny.

US Representative Elaine Luria, a Navy veteran and vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said that now is not the time for the Navy to invest heavily in unmanned surface vessels (USV).

She spoke at Defense One’s State of Defense virtual conference on September 14.

The veteran emphasized that the recent seizure of two United States Navy Saildrone Explorer USVs by the Iranian Navy in the Red Sea did not augur well for the future of such vessels.

Early this month, an Iranian Navy ship pulled two US unmanned surface vehicles out of the water in an alleged attempt to steal them. Soon, the US Navy dispatched two destroyers, the USS Nitze and USS Delbert D Black, and two helicopters to secure their release.

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