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 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enhance maritime domain awareness, specifically to track Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ships.
The USS *Stethem* employed Aerovel Flexrotor tactical UAVs, which are well-suited for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) at sea due to their over 30-hour endurance and vertical takeoff/landing capabilities.
These UAVs significantly expand the Navy's surveillance capabilities, contributing to regional maritime security, deterring malign activity, and enabling faster, more informed decision-making.

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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.