US Navy conducts first live-fire training with GARC uncrewed surface vessel

Published Jul 29, 04:16 PM UTC

The U.S. Navy confirmed its first live-fire training exercise of the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) uncrewed surface vessel during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) off the coast of Hawaii on July 17, 2026, as part of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. The GARC targeted the hulk of the decommissioned amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu. Sarah Weinstein, commanding officer of Unmanned Surface Vessel Division 32 (USVDIV-32), confirmed her division executed the milestone. The 16-foot GARC, built by BlackSea Technologies, has a 1,000-pound payload capacity, 700-nautical-mile range, and can be operated individually or as a swarm. This exercise follows the Navy's recent combat use of Corsair unmanned vessels against an Iranian naval facility, and the GARC has also been tested during NATO's Exercise BALTOPS 2026. The Navy is expanding the GARC's roles to include escort, surveillance, intelligence, and maritime domain awareness as it progresses toward operational deployment.