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

Published Jul 29, 04:16 PM UTC

The U.S. Navy has confirmed its first live-fire training exercise involving the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC), an uncrewed surface vessel (USV). The exercise took place on July 17, 2026, during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) off the coast of Hawaii as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. The GARC targeted the hulk of the decommissioned amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu. The operation was executed by Unmanned Surface Vessel Division 32 (USVDIV-32), led by Commander Sarah Weinstein. The GARC, built by BlackSea Technologies, has a 1,000-pound payload capacity, 700-nautical-mile range, and can be operated individually or in swarms. This milestone follows the Navy's earlier experimentation with GARC and its use in NATO's Exercise BALTOPS 2026. The Navy is rapidly expanding the vessel's roles to include escort, surveillance, and maritime domain awareness, moving toward operational deployment.