US 5th Fleet further integrates manned and unmanned operational platfo…

The US 5th Fleet is continuing to integrate unmanned platforms in its naval operations. (US Naval Forces Central Command)

Naval forces in the Middle East region successfully further integrated unmanned platforms with traditionally crewed ships and aircraft in September to conduct enhanced maritime security operations in the waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, the US 5th Fleet confirmed on 6 October.

The US 5th Fleet integrated seven task forces and 12 different unmanned platforms with manned ships for “manned-unmanned teaming” operations, tracking Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) ships and small boats over several days during routine patrols in and around the Strait of Hormuz and around a critical chokepoint that in recent months has seen Iran unlawfully seize internationally flagged merchant ships, the US 5th Fleet confirmed.

The integrated forces included sailors, marines, coast guardsmen, ships, and aircraft from Task Force 51/5 (Amphibious/Marine), Task Force 52 (Mine Countermeasures), Task Force 53 (Logistics), Task Force 55 (Surface Warfare), Task Force 56 (Expeditionary), Task Force 57 (Patrol/Reconnaissance), and Task Force 59 (Unmanned/Artificial Intelligence), US 5th Fleet officials said.

“The integration of new, multidomain unmanned platforms into routine fleet operations provides more ‘eyes on the water,' enhancing maritime domain awareness and increasing deterrence in the region,” Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, commander, US Naval Forces Central Command and US 5th Fleet, said in a statement.

The augmented unmanned operations came as US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro was publicly touting these types of US operations in the region.