US Navy Sinks Decommissioned USS Peleliu with Autonomous Lethal Drones at RIMPAC 2026

During the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 exercises, the United States Navy used autonomous maritime drones to sink the retired amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA‑5), a Tarawa‑class vessel taken out of service. Two lethal drones struck the hull near the waterline after missiles – LRASM, Harpoon and Spike – were also employed. The action, filmed by the U.S. Third Fleet, was presented as a demonstration of low‑cost, autonomous strike capabilities inspired by Ukrainian attacks on the Russian Black Sea fleet.

At the same exercise, the United States debuted the Surveyor, an armed unmanned sea vehicle (USV) built by Saildrone and fitted with a Lockheed Martin AGM‑179 JAGM missile launcher, marking a shift toward AI‑driven surface combatants. In parallel, U.S. company ReconCraft and Ukrainian firm UForce signed a memorandum of understanding to produce Magura‑type maritime drones in the United States, aiming to manufacture hundreds to thousands of units annually, while noting the need to adapt the design for different sea conditions.