A US Navy unmanned surface vehicle rescued two US Army Apache helicopter crew members after the aircraft went down near the Strait of Hormuz.
The drone boat located the downed Apache, deployed its recovery system, and lifted the two airmen to safety. Navy officials said the autonomous craft operated without direct human control during the retrieval.
This marks the first documented case of an uncrewed boat performing a man‑over‑board rescue. The success could broaden the Navy’s use of autonomous vessels for safety‑critical missions, reducing risk to personnel.
If the Navy expands this capability, future rescues may rely less on manned ships, though the technology still needs rigorous testing before becoming routine.