Alex Luck

Frigates. 17 in service in 2009 - 4 x Type 22s and 13 x Type 23s. The Type 22s were to decommission 2019-22, with the Type 23s following from 2023. Replacement plans in the air under the C1/C2/C3 concept. 8/18

Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations. Last night’s strikes degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping.

If Japan had not surrendered earlier, scenes like this might have appeared during the planned U.S. invasion of Japan in the final stages of World War II. In 1944, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the predecessor of the CIA, and the U.S. Army Air Forces jointly developed the secret “Javaman” project. The concept involved using B-17 bombers to remotely control explosive-laden boats through wireless television signals, allowing operators to guide them from up to 135 km away against Japanese ports and shipping routes. Nearly eight decades later, the same basic concept has evolved with modern technology. Satellite communications allow operators to control unmanned surface vessels from much greater distances, while night vision, thermal imaging, and AI-based target recognition enable attacks in darkness and rough seas. The core idea remains surprisingly similar: a low-cost unmanned platform carrying explosives, directed remotely to strike high-value maritime targets. What has changed is the range, sensors, autonomy, and precision—not the fundamental concept.