Meet Vibhav Altekar, Indian-origin engineer whose company's drone boat aided US rescue mission near Strait of Hormuz
Two crew members from a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter that went down near the Strait of Hormuz were successfully rescued by the autonomous surface
Two crew members from a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter that went down near the Strait of Hormuz were successfully rescued by the autonomous surface vessel Corsair, a drone boat built by Saronic Technologies, a Texas-based company co-founded by Indian-American entrepreneur Vibhav Altekar. The operation marked a historic milestone for the US military. While the armed forces have long relied on unmanned aerial systems, this was the first rescue mission conducted using an autonomous surface vessel. According to Captain Tim Hawkins, the Corsair was remotely controlled by a human operator, making it the first US rescue effort of its kind to be carried out by a drone boat, according to PTI. AH-64 Apache helicopters have been an important component of US military operations aimed at restricting Iranian oil exports and tanker movements as part of efforts to pressure Tehran into negotiations.
The helicopters have also been deployed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in operations to intercept and destroy Iranian drones. Who is Vibhav Altekar? Vibhav Altekar, who earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Saronic Technologies. Also Read | Trump has predicted an Iran deal 37 times, it has not happened once According to his profile on the company's website, Altekar oversees the development of Saronic’s autonomous technologies and software infrastructure. He leads several key functions, including Forward Deployed Engineering, Product, Special Programs, and Software, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams focused on perception, navigation, machine learning, command-and-control systems, and systems integration. Also Read | Third Wave Of US Airstrikes On Iran Begins! Explosions Rock Iran Recognised for his expertise in autonomous systems and maritime technology, Altekar is an experienced perception engineer who has played a significant role in advancing technologies for the US Department of Defense throughout his career.
About the company and drone boat The Corsair is a 24-foot autonomous surface vessel powered by a diesel engine. It can reach speeds of up to 35 knots, carry payloads weighing as much as 1,000 pounds, and operate over distances exceeding 1,000 nautical miles. According to Saronic Technologies' LinkedIn page, the company has secured a production contract worth USD 392 million with the US Navy for autonomous surface vessels. Based in Austin, Saronic Technologies was established in September 2022 by Dino Mavrookas, who served as a Navy SEAL for 11 years, along with three co-founders: Vibhav Altekar, Doug Lambert, and Rob Lehman. US and Iran exchange fire Meanwhile, the US carried out airstrikes against Iran early Wednesday, accusing Tehran of being responsible for the downing of an American Apache attack helicopter. In response, Iran launched attacks on targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, escalating the conflict and raising concerns that ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the war could collapse.
The BriefWire