US Expands Unmanned Combat Capabilities in Middle East With New Strike Force
CENTCOM is establishing Task Force Falcon Strike, a new multinational unit deploying unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater systems following their recent combat debut against Iran.
The United States is expanding the operational use of unmanned systems in the Middle East, following their baptism of fire in the conflict with Iran, which for the first time included strikes utilizing crewless vessels. US Central Command (CENTCOM) is now taking the initiative a step further by establishing a new multinational strike force to operate unmanned systems in the air, on the surface, and underwater, as part of an accelerated transition from trials and exercises to actual combat.
The new task force, designated Task Force Falcon Strike and announced by CENTCOM in August, will be multinational and multi-domain, operating alongside partner nations in the region. According to the US command, the unit is designed to expand unmanned strike capabilities across the Middle East using one-way attack systems across air, maritime, and underwater environments.
From Rescue Missions to Combat Strikes in Iran
The new force builds on months of operational deployment of such systems in combat conditions. Among the most prominent is the Corsair, manufactured by Saronic, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) operated by the US Fifth Fleet's Task Force 59. Measuring approximately 7.3 meters in length, the vessel has a range exceeding 1,800 kilometers, can carry payloads up to 450 kilograms, and reaches speeds of 35 knots (roughly 65 kilometers per hour). The manufacturer estimates its cost at under one million dollars.
In June, following the crash of a US military helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, a Corsair was dispatched to search for crew members and successfully assisted in the rescue of two American servicemen. Just a month later, three vessels of the same model were deployed for a completely different mission: striking a submarine and naval maintenance facility at the Iranian naval base in Bandar Abbas. In this suicide mission, the drones impacted their targets and detonated. US officials noted this marked the first time American forces utilized unmanned surface vessels in an offensive strike role.
A US official explained that forces currently employ unmanned systems on, above, and below the sea surface to achieve military objectives. A primary advantage, the official noted, is the ability to execute high-risk missions while minimizing exposure and danger to American personnel.
Evolution from Exercises to a Multinational Strike Force
The shift toward offensive operations is the culmination of a multi-year process. In 2021, the US Navy established Task Force 59 to accelerate the integration of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into Middle Eastern operations. Initially utilized primarily for reconnaissance and enhancing maritime domain awareness, these assets were subsequently tested in dozens of exercises and operations alongside manned units.
The conflict with Iran accelerated the transition from experimentation to active combat. In December 2025, CENTCOM established Task Force Scorpion Strike, the region's first unit dedicated to one-way attack drones. These platforms saw combat deployment during Operation Roaring Lion, and in July, the command integrated unmanned surface vessels into strikes against Iranian facilities. Task Force Falcon Strike represents the next phase: expanding the concept into a multi-domain, multinational force.
Simultaneously, naval leadership is examining ways to increase the autonomy of these systems. According to US Navy Commander Admiral Daryl Caudle, specific autonomy levels will be defined to dictate which actions manned or unmanned units can execute independently, based on their capacity to process information and act without awaiting orders from senior command.
Vulnerabilities and Strategic Challenges
However, the transition from testing grounds to active battlefields also exposes vulnerabilities. In September, Iran announced the seizure of an American Anduril Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle that experienced a technical malfunction while surveying regional waters. CENTCOM maintained that the asset was an older model which gathered no sensitive intelligence and carried no classified sonar or radar equipment. Subsequently, the command reported that two Iranian fast boats attempted to seize a Saildrone unmanned surface vessel in the Strait of Hormuz before being neutralized by US forces.
Financial considerations also render the loss of such equipment significant. According to open-source estimates, a single Corsair costs approximately 1.1 million dollars. While these platforms allow militaries to dispatch machines into hazardous missions instead of flesh-and-blood personnel, they are neither inexpensive nor easily written off.
Joshua Tallis, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses, cautioned that it remains premature to definitively conclude how unmanned systems will be utilized in future warfare based solely on the current conflict. He noted that operational experience provides the navy with an exceptional opportunity to learn how to operate and maintain robotic systems under real-world conditions, though the process remains an ongoing educational curve rather than a fully crystallized vision of future combat.
