Saildrone takes to the water in Red Sea
US and Jordanian personnel inspect the Saildrone Explorer USV. (Photo: USN)
USN Task Force 59 is integrating USVs and AI into 5th Fleet operations.
US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) on 12 December began operational tests of a Saildrone Explorer USV in the Gulf of Aqaba under Exercise Digital Horizon.
In November 2021, senior US and Jordanian naval officers announced that the Royal Jordanian Navy facility at Aqaba would become a joint hub for Saildrone operations in the Red Sea, as USN Task Force 59 begins to integrate new uncrewed systems and AI into 5th Fleet operations.
The wind-powered Saildrone Explorer is 7m long and 4.7m tall, equipped with solar-powered sensors for maritime ISR.
‘Our Saildrones leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance maritime domain awareness, extending the digital horizon with a sustainable, zero-carbon solution,’ said Task Force 59 commander Capt Michael Brasseur.
Task Force 59 began operations in September 2021. In October, it integrated and evaluated new MANTAS T-12 USVs alongside crewed ships in the Arabian Gulf during Exercise New Horizon; and on 4 December it initiated at-sea operational tests for a MANTAS T-38 USV off the coast of Bahrain.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Navantia combat systems selected for Chinese-built Thai LPD]()
Navantia combat systems selected for Chinese-built Thai LPD
The landing platform dock, believed to be the largest naval vessel that China has exported, will see the Chinese-built vessel embrace Western technology.
-
![Singapore to add two more submarines to fleet as it hikes defence spending]()
Singapore to add two more submarines to fleet as it hikes defence spending
Singapore’s army and navy look set to benefit from increases in the country’s defence budget, with submarines and IFVs on the shopping list.
-
![How will NATO’s Baltic Sentry work to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea?]()
How will NATO’s Baltic Sentry work to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea?
The rise in incidents of damage to subsea cabling in the Baltic Seahas driven NATO to commit to bolstering the action of local navies. But how effective can it be?
-
![GAO recommends better oversight of support for shipyards in the face of capacity concerns]()
GAO recommends better oversight of support for shipyards in the face of capacity concerns
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) believes the US industrial base will struggle to meet US Navy (USN) requirements. This follows recent warnings from USN heads of a decline in resources and that the industrial base is under strain.
-
![Lockheed Martin wins three new DoD naval contracts including on Littoral Combat Ships]()
Lockheed Martin wins three new DoD naval contracts including on Littoral Combat Ships
Lockheed Martin has won contracts and contract modifications on systems and platforms ranging from missile systems and naval helicopters to Littoral Combat Ships.
