US Fifth Fleet USV transits Strait of Hormuz for first time

USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) transits the Strait of Hormuz with an L3Harris Arabian Fox Mast-13 unmanned surface vessel on 19 April. (USCG)

A US Navy (USN) unmanned surface vessel (USV) has transited the Strait of Hormuz for the first time, marking another milestone in the service's efforts to integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence (AI) into maritime operations in the Middle East.

The USV, an Arabian Fox Mast-13 vessel operated by the US Fifth Fleet's Task Force 59, completed the transit on 19 April accompanied by two US Coast Guard (USCG) Sentinel-class fast response cutters. Developed by L3Harris, the Mast-13 is a 13 m long high-speed USV capable of fully autonomous navigation.

In a statement, the USN said the USV, escorted by USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) and USCGC John Scheuerman