As threats from mines, missiles and drones continue to imperil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, navies are increasingly turning to autonomous vessels to carry out dangerous mine-hunting operations. Industry figures and defence experts say the technology, which has been under development for two decades, is being tested in the region’s latest conflict.
Modern sea mines rest on the seabed and detonate when they detect an acoustic or magnetic signal, triggering a pressure wave that can break a passing ship's keel. Others can rise through shallow water or float, or be powered towards a target. According to Steve Cameron, a former merchant navy officer and maritime consultant, transiting the Strait of Hormuz requires crew agreement, war risk insurance and a captain's final decision. "If you're a captain, you'd like to see evidence mines aren't present," he said.
Traditional mine-hunting vessels carry crews of around 80 sailors, but autonomous systems can be monitored from shore by as few as 20 personnel working in shifts. Nato navies, facing recruitment and retention challenges, find these portable robot systems attractive. The technology was used during the 2003 Iraq war, when the US Navy used a torpedo-shaped robot called the Remus 100 to scan the seabed at depths of around 100 feet.
The latest conflict in the Gulf is testing more capable systems. In early September, Iranian forces hauled an uncrewed US autonomous submarine out of the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon claimed the craft, an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) from US defence firm Anduril, was a malfunctioning older device with no classified equipment. William Lupton, a naval analyst with Shephard Group, noted that the capture was "a drop in the ocean compared to having prisoners taken" and underscored the value of uncrewed vessels in avoiding risk to personnel.
Among the new systems is the Thales Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV), developed in cooperation with the Royal Navy and France's Marine Nationale. The USV uses sonar originally developed for the oil and gas industries to detect mines and tows a five-metre rectangular box that resembles a large torpedo and takes a high-resolution look at the seabed, creating a three-dimensional picture refined by artificial intelligence. Ian McFarlane of Thales said mines are a cheap way of waging naval war.
Steve Prest, an associate fellow at the RUSI defence think tank and the Royal Navy's first fleet robotics officer, explained that while it is impossible to prove the complete absence of mines, robot systems can reduce the risk. He predicted that AI will increasingly analyse data from these vessels on the spot, rather than after a drone returns. The Royal Navy has announced a "hybrid navy" concept that mixes drones with conventional warships. Prest said it is a mistake to focus on individual uncrewed assets and that the fleet must operate as a distributed force sharing data. "Uncrewed or autonomous vessels are not the operating system. They are applications running on it," he said.
Neil Roberts, who speaks for insurers at Lloyd's of London on marine matters, said the psychological impact of the mine threat is inescapable. He noted that the US says it has cleared the Omani route and believes the mine threat is being managed, with shipments running at about 75% of pre-conflict levels.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Mines are a low-cost but highly disruptive weapon in key maritime chokepoints; autonomous systems cut the risk to sailors and keep shipping lanes open more safely.
- The adoption of uncrewed vessels could fundamentally alter naval force structures, reducing crew sizes and easing personnel shortages.
- The performance of these systems in the Strait of Hormuz may influence global defence procurement decisions for years to come.
Background
Mine hunting has traditionally been carried out by specialist vessels with crews of roughly 80 personnel. The first robotic mine hunter, the Remus 100, was used by the US Navy in the 2003 Iraq war, operating at shallow depths. In September 2026, Iranian forces recovered an XLUUV from Anduril, highlighting the increasing presence of autonomous systems in the region. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil shipments, remains highly dangerous due to a combination of missile, drone and mine threats.
Key Perspectives
Steve Cameron: says transiting the Strait requires crew agreement, war risk insurance, and the captain's final decision, and that a captain would want evidence mines are not present.
Ian McFarlane: says mines are a cheap way of waging naval war, as the Royal Navy is acutely aware.
William Lupton: says the capture of the XLUUV is a drop in the ocean compared to having prisoners taken, and part of the point of uncrewed vessels.
Steve Prest: says there are multiple ways to look for mines using robot boats or subs, and though one cannot prove the complete absence of mines, risk can be reduced; he expects AI to analyse data on the spot.
Neil Roberts: says the US believes it has cleared the Omani route and the mine threat is being managed, with shipments at about 75% of pre-conflict levels.
What to Watch
- The outcome of Iran's capture of the XLUUV: will it lead to diplomatic fallout or increased security measures?
- Further integration of AI into mine hunting, enabling real-time data analysis and faster decision-making.
- Nato navies' progress towards 'hybrid' fleets and whether they overcome the challenge of operating uncrewed assets as part of a distributed network.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedRobot vessels are taking on the dangerous work of mine hunting.BBC News: “Robot vessels take on the dangerous work of mine hunting”
- SupportedAutonomous systems reduce risk to sailors.BBC News: “To keep humans out of harm's way, an increasing amount of the work is done by systems that are autonomous and monitored from the shore.”
- SupportedMines, missiles and drones threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.BBC News: “Despite assistance from the US Navy, ships are still being attacked . “Missiles and drones are a threat from the air, but under the surface mines may also be lurking.””
- SupportedNavies are increasingly turning to autonomous vessels for dangerous mine-hunting operations.BBC News: “To keep humans out of harm's way, an increasing amount of the work is done by systems that are autonomous and monitored from the shore.”
- Partly supportedIndustry figures and defence experts say the technology has been under development for two decades and is being tested in the latest regional conflict.BBC News: “Such tech has been under development for 20 years.”
- SupportedModern mines can detonate after detecting an acoustic or magnetic signal, creating a pressure wave that can break a passing ship’s keel.BBC News: “Modern mines rest on the seabed and detonate when they detect an acoustic or magnetic signal, triggering a pressure wave that will break the keel of a passing vessel.”
- SupportedTraditional mine-hunting vessels have crews of around 80, while autonomous systems monitored from shore might need as few as 20 people working in shifts.BBC News: “Finding sea mines has traditionally been the job of specialist mine-hunting vessels, with crews of around 80 sailors. To keep humans out of harm's way, an increasing amount of the work is done by systems that are autonomous and monitored from the shore. They might only need 20 personnel, working in shifts on land.”
- SupportedIranian forces hauled an uncrewed US autonomous submarine out of the Strait of Hormuz in early September.BBC News: “Iranian forces hauled an uncrewed US autonomous sub, external out of the waters of the Strait of Hormuz in early September.”
- SupportedThe Pentagon claimed the captured XLUUV was a malfunctioning older device with no classified equipment on board.BBC News: “The Pentagon claimed this robot, an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) from US autonomous defence tech venture Anduril, was a malfunctioning older device with no classified equipment on-board.”
- SupportedWilliam Lupton said the capture was “a drop in the ocean compared to having prisoners taken”.BBC News: “That, says William Lupton, a naval analyst with Shephard Group, “was a drop in the ocean compared to having prisoners taken””
- SupportedThe Thales USV uses sonar developed for the oil and gas industries and tows a five-metre box that scans the seabed to create a 3D picture refined by AI.BBC News: “The Thales Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) is packed with sensors programmed to detect mines via sonar that was developed for the oil and gas industries. It tows a 5m long rectangular box, similar to a large torpedo, that takes a hi-resolution look at the seabed and creates a 3D picture refined by AI.”
- SupportedNeil Roberts said the US says it has cleared the Omani route and believes the mine threat is being managed, with shipments at about 75% of pre-conflict levels.BBC News: ““The US says it has cleared the Omani route and believes the mine threat is being managed, with shipments running at about 75% of pre-conflict levels.””
