US military claims first drone boat rescue of downed helicopter crew

The US military successfully rescued two US Army pilots from the waters near the Strait of Hormuz using a drone boat on June 8, marking a potential first for such a maritime rescue operation. The pilots were aboard an AH-64 Apache helicopter gunship when it went down off the coast of Oman. According to a US Central Command press release, the crew was recovered at 7:33 pm US Eastern Time. This operation involved support from US Navy units, specifically the US 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59. Task Force 59 is responsible for integrating uncrewed systems, including aerial, surface, and underwater vehicles, along with artificial intelligence, into the 5th Fleet's maritime operations. Anonymous US military officials confirmed to CBS News that the rescue was conducted by an uncrewed surface drone operated by Task Force 59, which is based in Bahrain. These officials further stated that this incident represents the inaugural use of a drone by the military to extract individuals from the water.