IMSC Integrates Unmanned Vessel During IMX/CE22  

A Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel sails in the Gulf of Aqaba during International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express 2022. U.S. NAVY / Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dawson Roth

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN — International Maritime Security Construct participated in unmanned integration operations in the Arabian Gulf during International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express 2022, Feb. 3, the Coalition Task Force Sentinel Public Affairs Office said Feb. 8.  

IMSC personnel operated with two Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessels. The Saildrones were launched by Task Force X, a combined task force established for conducting portions of the exercise focused on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence integration.  

The Saildrone Explorer is a 23-foot-long, 16-foot-tall USV reliant on wind power for propulsion. The vessel houses a package of sensors powered through solar energy for building a shared picture of the surrounding seas.  

Leaders from IMSC observed the capabilities of unmanned systems deployed during operational training scenario at sea from aboard the Royal Bahrain Naval Force ship RBNS Al Muharraq.  

“The exercise was a perfect demonstration of progress towards delivering a genuinely ‘digital ocean’ where navies increasingly employ a combination of manned and unmanned systems, on, above, and below the surface, to deliver unparalleled situational awareness and operational choice to the commander,” said Commodore Don Mackinnon, commander of CTF Sentinel.  

CTF Sentinel is a multinational maritime effort that promotes maritime stability, ensures safe passage, and enhances freedom of navigation throughout key waterways in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, the Bab al-Mandeb and the Red Sea. The coalition is comprised of eight member nations including Albania, Kingdom of Bahrain, Republic of Estonia, Lithuania, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States. 

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