US Forms New Multinational Drone Force in Middle East After Iran Attacks

The U.S. military is expanding its use of unmanned systems in the Middle East, establishing a new multinational task force called "Task Force Falcon Strike" to conduct attacks via air, surface, and subsurface drones. This move by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) signifies a shift from experimentation to real combat operations, leveraging lessons learned from recent engagements.

The Corsair, a 7.3-meter unmanned surface vessel capable of traveling over 1,800 km and costing under $1 million, has been central to this evolution. Initially used in June to help rescue two downed U.S. airmen near the Strait of Hormuz, three Corsairs were later employed in a suicide attack mission against an Iranian naval base in Bandar Abbas, targeting a submarine and a maintenance facility. This marked the first time the U.S. used unmanned surface vessels for offensive strikes.

This operational expansion follows the U.S. Navy's 2021 establishment of Task Force 59 to integrate unmanned systems and AI in the region. Previous efforts included "Task Force Scorpion Strike" in December 2025, focused on one-way attack drones, and the use of unmanned surface vessels in strikes against Iranian facilities during "Operation Desert Lion."

However, the increased reliance on these systems has also exposed vulnerabilities. Iran announced in September that it had captured an American Anduril Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle that malfunctioned during a survey mission. CENTCOM stated it was an older model without sensitive data or classified sonar. Additionally, two Iranian boats attempting to seize a Saildrone unmanned surface vessel in the Strait of Hormuz were destroyed by U.S. forces.

Experts note that while these drones reduce risk to American personnel, their loss carries a significant cost, with individual Corsairs estimated at $1.1 million. Joshua Tallis, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses, cautioned that it is too early to definitively assess the future role of unmanned systems, emphasizing that current operations represent an ongoing learning process rather than a finalized picture of future warfare.