The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, stationed in Bahrain, announced that it will launch a new force that includes airborne, sea and underwater “drones”, after years of naval attacks linked to tensions with Iran, according to the Associated Press.)
Navy officials have promised the drones will expand their capabilities over the coming months in a region whose sea straits are critical choke points for both energy supplies and shipping worldwide.
Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, who commands the Fifth Fleet, said that his country is seeking to put more systems in the maritime domain above and below the sea. Fleet Tim Hawkins told AFP: “It’s a task force dedicated to rapidly integrating unmanned (remotely piloted) systems and artificial intelligence with naval operations in the Fifth Fleet area.”
added: “When We are not talking about the integration of new unmanned systems, we are talking about systems that can be used underwater, on water and above it,” referring to drones and other means that can be controlled remotely.
Last month foreign ministers accused The Group of Seven accused Iran of being behind a July 29 drone attack on an oil tanker linked to Israel that killed a former British soldier and a Romanian citizen. Iran’s nuclear program negotiations.
Iran has also been blamed for the hijacking of a tanker in the Gulf of Oman in August.
And the US Naval Forces Central Command issued a statement Thursday saying that the new force It will depend on “regional partnerships and alliances.”
“The primary objective of doing this is (…) to enhance our awareness of the maritime domain and, secondly, to increase deterrence.”
