Saildrone Launches in Gulf of Aqaba for NAVCENT Exercise Digital Horizon

A Saildrone Explorer USV was launched into the water for the first time from the Royal Jordanian naval base in Aqaba, Jordan, commencing NAVCENT’s exercise Digital Horizon. Last month, US and Jordanian naval leaders announced the base would become a joint hub for Saildrone operations in the Red Sea.

“These are exciting times for Task Force 59 as we team with the Royal Jordanian Navy to establish our hub for Red Sea operations in Aqaba and deploy some of our new maritime robotics,” said Capt. Michael Brasseur, commander of NAVCENT’s new task force for unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.

The Saildrone Explorer is a 23-foot wind and solar-powered vehicle designed for long-duration missions at sea. It houses an optical array with onboard GPU, and machine learning software that fuses the data from all sensors, recognizes targets of interest, and alerts the end-user in near real time to build a shared picture of the surrounding seas.

“Saildrone leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance maritime domain awareness, extending the digital horizon with a sustainable, zero-carbon solution,” said Brasseur. 

NAVCENT’s Task Force 59, established in September, is in the early stages of integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence like Saildrone into the US 5th Fleet operational environment. 

Ongoing evaluations of the Saildrone platform’s usage in US 5th Fleet help to drive discovery, innovation, and fleet integration. The US Navy is learning important lessons that will inform future operational employment.

The Middle East region’s unique geography, climate, and strategic importance offer an ideal environment for unmanned innovation through multilateral collaboration. The area includes the world’s largest standing maritime partnership—the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and parts of the Indian Ocean.