In a landmark operation, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF 153) has completed its first sustained uncrewed surveillance mission in the Red Sea, deploying four uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) on a continuous 50-day patrol covering nearly half of the strategically vital waterway.
The Combined Task Force (CTF) 153 patrol, under Australian leadership between February and April, marked a significant step forward in integrating autonomous systems into frontline maritime security operations.
The USVs, supplied by the US Navy’s Task Force 59 – a unit focused on uncrewed systems and AI development – patrolled a 219,000 square kilometre area between February and April, delivering round-the-clock video and radar surveillance to CMF operators.
“This is a major milestone for collaborative maritime security,” said Royal Australian Navy Captain Jorge McKee, commander of CTF 153.
“The deployment gave us persistent visibility on the water for weeks on end, without the need to resupply in port. That’s a game-changer.”
Operating under remote control with support from US Navy and civilian specialists, the USVs provided real-time intelligence to CMF Headquarters, enhancing the coalition’s ability to detect, deter and disrupt illicit activity in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
The Red Sea, a critical artery connecting the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, has long been a hotspot for smuggling, illegal fishing, and piracy.
CMF believes the presence of these autonomous vessels is a powerful deterrent to criminal networks that exploit unmonitored waters.
“We know that when no one is watching, non-state actors take advantage. These uncrewed systems allow us to watch more of the sea, more of the time,” McKee said.
“They help us direct our warships where they’re needed most – to interdict smuggling operations and protect innocent mariners.”
The patrol culminated a year of joint planning by Italian and Australian-led command teams at CTF 153, working in close coordination with Task Force 59.
The success of the operation is expected to pave the way for expanded use of autonomous maritime technologies across the region.
CTF 153, established in April 2022, is one of five task forces operating under the CMF umbrella. Under Australian command from October 2024 to April 2025, the task force is charged with countering illicit non-state actors in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and Gulf of Aden – waters that collectively form a key global trade route.
CMF, headquartered in Bahrain, is the world’s largest multinational naval partnership, encompassing 46 nations committed to ensuring maritime security across over 3.2 million square miles of ocean.
