"The USV will be operational in two months time, after final modifications, where it will join the first Arabian Fox in Bahrain," a NAVCENT official told Breaking Defense.
“During Digital Talon, we took a significant step forward and advanced our capability to the ‘next level’ beyond just maritime domain awareness...," said NAVCENT Commander Vice Adm. Brad Cooper.
Protecting warfighters requires fast, accurate, and dependable systems that work flawlessly to military standards.
The drill won't include US naval assets, but American trainers are on hand to advise the Lebanon-led exercise series.
“This task force enables the United States to have less direct focus on this naval harassment campaign by building up the skills of local navies that will offset the security impact of a potential shift of US forces to Asia,” said Ryan Bohl, a senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at the RANE Network.
The Middle East is proving to be a test-bed for military innovation that could be incredibly helpful for other priority regions such as the Indo-Pacific, write Jasmin Alsaied and Bilal Saab of the Middle East Institute.
In 2021, the US seized "three times the amount of weapons interdicted in 2020," NAVCENT head Vice. Adm. Brad Cooper told Breaking Defense.
The jet-powered transport’s speed, survivability and multi-mission agility position it as a viable option to the C-130 for the US and NATO allies.
The visit of the Choctaw County is meant to signal support for Lebanon's government - and especially its Navy, analysts say.