US Military Develops Drone Escort System to Protect Civilian Shipping

The US military is developing new technologies to escort commercial vessels and protect them from attacks, particularly those involving drones, The Defense Post reported.

The effort is part of the Pentagon’s Pulling Guard program, which aims to replace conventional escort ships with unmanned maritime platforms.

The concept involves autonomous vessels remotely controlled via secure communications channels. These platforms will feature a modular design, enabling flexible updates to software, payloads, and combat systems.

The emphasis on modularity is intended to support rapid development cycles and fast adaptation to emerging threats.

The modular approach may also facilitate exports by allowing configurations to be tailored to the legal and regulatory requirements of partner countries.

Threats to civilian shipping

The initiative comes amid a sharp rise in piracy and armed attacks on shipping. In the first quarter of 2025, 45 incidents were reported globally — a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

According to the data, pirates boarded vessels in 37 incidents. Four ships were hijacked, and four others were targeted in attempted attacks.

Threats to crew safety remain high. In the first three months of the year, 37 sailors were taken hostage, 13 were kidnapped, two were threatened, and one was injured.

Of particular concern is the rise in incidents involving firearms. There were 14 such cases in the first quarter of 2025, compared with 26 for all of 2024.

Terror in the Red Sea

The situation in the Red Sea remains especially volatile, as Yemen’s Houthi rebels continue to threaten commercial shipping. Their campaign began in late 2023 and has persisted into 2025.

One of the earliest high-profile incidents was the hijacking of the Galaxy Leader on November 19, 2023. The ship, linked to Israeli interests, became a symbolic target for the Houthis.

Although the Houthis claim to be targeting Israeli-linked vessels in solidarity with Palestine, many of the attacked ships have had no connection to Israel.

On January 9, the Houthis launched a major assault involving 18 Iranian-made kamikaze drones, two anti-ship missiles, and one ballistic missile. Thanks to the intervention of US and UK naval forces, no casualties were reported.

However, on March 7, a Houthi attack on a merchant vessel resulted in the deaths of three civilian sailors — the first civilian fatalities in the campaign.

The economic fallout has been significant. In January 2024, revenues from the Suez Canal dropped by 50%, while insurance premiums for ships transiting the region increased tenfold.

The Houthis are reportedly using drones, anti-ship missiles, and ballistic missiles likely supplied by Iran, making them difficult to intercept.

Their attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing many companies to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, significantly lengthening transit times and costs.