Navy Deploys Flexrotor UAVs for ISR in Gulf of Oman

The uncrewed aerial vehicles were used during patrols to track Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ships, the U.S. Navy said.

Kimberly Johnson

Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 04:18 PM ET

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A Flexrotor unmanned aerial vehicle hovers over the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) during UAV operations in the Gulf of Oman on November 9. The Stethem is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. [Courtesy: U.S. Central Command]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. Navy sailors in the Gulf of Oman utilized Aerovel Flexrotor tactical UAVs for enhanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), specifically to track Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ships.
These UAVs offer significant operational advantages for maritime ISR, including over 30 hours of endurance, a 120-kilometer communication range, and vertical takeoff/landing capabilities.
The integration of these uncrewed platforms, particularly in manned-unmanned teaming, greatly expands the Navy's "sight picture," strengthens maritime security, and enables faster, more informed decision-making to deter malign activity in the region.

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U.S. Navy sailors deployed in the Gulf of Oman turned to uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) to increase maritime domain awareness during a recent operation that included tracking Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ships.

During the November 8-9 event, sailors aboard the USS Stethem—an Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer—used small Aerovel Flexrotor tactical UAVs to “put more eyes in the sky” for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said Tuesday.