U.S. Navy Uses GARC USV to Sink USS Peleliu During RIMPAC Exercises

Black Sea Technologies has confirmed that its GARC unmanned surface vessel was used to attack the Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) during the 2026 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises.

The company confirmed the information in a post on LinkedIn.

Two GARC unmanned surface vessels, operated by sailors from the U.S. Navy’s 32nd Unmanned Surface Vessel Division (USVDIV-32), struck the ship at the waterline. The attack helped sink the vessel after it had already been hit by an anti-ship missile.

USVDIV-32 is one of the U.S. Navy’s newest unmanned operational units. As part of their mission to operate and maintain unmanned vessels, its sailors regularly conduct exercises involving GARC.

“GARC is just one of several types of unmanned vessels… With GARC, we have the most experience over the past few years,” said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Sarah Weinstein, commander of USVDIV-32.

A key feature of USVDIV-32 is the introduction of a new military specialty: Robotic Warfare Specialist.

These specialists are trained to operate and maintain vessels such as GARC.

GARC Unmanned Surface Vessel

The Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) unmanned surface vessel, developed by Black Sea Technologies, is a multipurpose platform designed for a variety of missions. It is available in several configurations:

• Sightglass — equipped with sonar for mine detection;
• Fisher — fitted with electro-optical sensors to identify a broader range of underwater threats, including submarines;
• FOCUS — a strike variant equipped with fiber-optic connectivity and designed to operate in environments affected by electronic warfare (EW);
• Marionette — a carrier platform for fiber-optic-controlled FPV strike drones.

The 4.8-meter GARC can carry a modular payload of up to 454 kg, which represents more than 20% of its full displacement of 2.2 tonnes.

The GARC is powered by an integrated 200-hp diesel engine, providing a cruising speed of approximately 41 km/h and a top speed of around 74 km/h. Its stated range is approximately 1,300 km at cruising speed and up to 2,963 km at 9 km/h.

In addition, operators can control the boats individually or as part of a group. The vessels can be operated manually or using radar to designate a target for them to follow.

During the RIMPAC 2026 exercises, the U.S. Navy tested Lockheed Martin’s AI-powered SensorMAX sonar for detecting submarines.