Drone Boats Testing
Despite interference from hostile actors trying to damage or capture the boats while they are in motion, a Navy task group that has been working for a year to stress-test unmanned surface vessels in the oppressive heat of the Middle East is making progress.
To enhance maritime domain awareness and monitor the “pattern of life” in the area, the test unit sent a few unmanned ships into the Red Sea from Aqaba, Jordan, earlier this spring.
However, these specific drone boats were outfitted with technology—the specifics of which the Navy is not revealing—that would enable them to navigate without GPS in the event that adversaries attempted to interfere with or block satellite signals.
The boats are stress-testing technology that the Navy may eventually deploy anywhere there is a risk of malevolent disruption; they fall under the Small Unmanned Surface Vessel (SUSV) category and are under 14 feet long.
In an interview with Military Times, Lt. Luis Echeverria, commanding officer of the Navy’s Bahrain-based Task Group 59.1, stated, “There are certain waterways here in Fifth Fleet that are GPS-contested—you can’t just transit there [with] a regular GPS because the GPS will show you elsewhere, so your position is not accurate.” “This small USV has a payload embedded in it that enables the USV to determine its true position while it is being jammed.”
Task Force 59
Under Echeverria’s command, Task Group 59.1—nicknamed “The Pioneers”—was formed in January 2024 to explore new technologies. Task Force 59 uses hands-on piloted-unmanned teamwork to test drone boats while integrating AI and drones into naval operations.
Based in Manama, Bahrain, the unit plays a crucial role in shaping the Navy’s future with emerging unmanned systems. The group tests various platforms to determine which are suitable for long-term development or operational deployment.
Officials exercise caution when discussing the technology because most platforms remain commercial prototypes that lack Navy investment. Officials avoid endorsing systems still under evaluation or not yet ready for mission deployment.
The Navy has likely tested numerous Saildrone Voyager unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) in the Red Sea during previous experiments. In March, Saildrone announced new GPS-denied tech, offering operations without full reliance on satellite navigation systems.
Their technology combines multiple localization methods, making it viable in contested or jammed environments, like the Red Sea. Once tests are complete, Echeverria’s team will draft an after-action report for Navy leadership.
This report will provide honest feedback, detailing what worked well and what failed during the mission. It will also offer guidance on whether certain drone systems are worth investing in for future missions.
Surface Navy Association
The goal of this report is to prevent the Navy from funding unproven technology that cannot meet real operational needs. As the Navy expands its drone fleet, teams like Task Group 59.1 help decide what fits and what doesn’t.
Their evaluations ensure unmanned vessels are reliable and useful—not just futuristic gadgets. The Navy wants drones that can operate seamlessly alongside crewed ships in challenging environments, rather than just in theory. Echeverria and his team are helping bridge the gap between innovation and practical maritime application.
Echeverria told a crowd at the Surface Navy Association’s annual symposium earlier this year that when the unit first formed, its mission was to launch Seasat’s autonomous surface vessel Lightfish into the Red Sea with some unproven deception capabilities.
“We didn’t succeed. Nevertheless, it was okay because this was a good failure, and there are good failures.” “We had a rapid failure,” Echeverria stated. “We overcame, we iterated, and we adjusted.”
The ship was able to sail for 17 days later that year, covering 600 nautical miles and integrating its operations with piloted ships in the area, thanks to upgrades and better-established operating procedures, according to him.
According to him, the task group has already deployed tested unmanned vessels to the U.S. Fourth Fleet, which includes the waters surrounding Central and South America, for operational use.
Operation Southern Spear
“Operation Southern Spear,” which Fourth Fleet announced at the beginning of the year, will send “long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical take-off and landing robotic air vessels” to the area for counternarcotics and maritime domain awareness missions.
There are difficulties in conducting experiments in the Red Sea and other regions within the operational area of the 5th Fleet. Another stressor for test vessels, according to Echeverria, is the intense heat.
Additionally, he admitted in January that hostile actors had stepped up their attempts to steal unmanned vessels that the Navy had launched after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.
“We have retained all of them,” he said. Echeverria refused to comment on whether attempts to seize USVs in the Red Sea were still underway during a March interview.
Navy commanders may soon find it easier and more feasible to use unmanned vessels in conjunction with piloted assets thanks to an upcoming planning experiment by Task Group 59.1.
The experiment will utilize drones powered by JP-5, which is the Navy’s standard kerosene-based jet fuel, instead of the JP-4 and JP-8 fuel types. According to Echeverria, this modification lowers drag and does away with the requirement for a waiver.
Conclusion
“It speeds things up since you can deploy quickly,” he said, “unlike before when refueling slowed everything down.” Previously, teams had to take extra care when refueling unmanned vessels, making operations more complicated and slower.
The Navy launched a new position last year called Robotics Warfare Specialist to support its initiative for integrating unmanned systems. This new role reflects the Navy’s commitment to embracing robotic and autonomous technology across its operational fleet.
A robotics warfare specialist will join the task group later this year to serve as a dedicated advisor. The specialist’s job is to guide how to best use these systems within the unit’s area of responsibility.
They will also ensure that the technology meets operational goals and aligns with Navy-wide standards and expectations. Echeverria praised his team’s readiness and drive to master this new wave of maritime technology.
He said, “This is the future, and my sailors are motivated to put these systems into action.” He highlighted their eagerness to learn, improve, and adapt every single day while operating in real-world environments.
“I’m proud of what my team has done so quickly,” he added, clearly enthusiastic about their progress. The team’s rapid progress has drawn attention, with similar drone boats now showing up in other maritime zones.
References
- Military Times—Navy’s drone boats test GPS-denied navigation in the Red Sea
- Saildrone—GPS-denied navigation solution for unmanned vessels
- U.S. Naval Forces Central Command – Task Force 59
- Surface Navy Association – Annual Symposium Highlights
- U.S. Navy – Operation Southern Spear launch details
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