Who Is Vibhav Altekar? Indian-Origin Man Behind Drone Boat That Rescued US Pilots From Hormuz

Last Updated:June 10, 2026, 16:05 IST

US Navy used Corsair, an AI powered drone boat by Saronic Technologies co founded by Vibhav Altekar, to rescue Apache crash crew near Strait of Hormuz, a first such mission

At a time when immigration remains a contentious issue in the United States, an Indian-American technology executive has emerged as an unlikely contributor to a critical US military rescue mission following the crash of an Apache attack helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz during the recent Iran-related conflict.

The US Navy used an autonomous drone boat to rescue the pilot and co-pilot of the Apache helicopter after it went down near the strategic waterway. The vessel, known as the Corsair, was developed by Texas-based Saronic Technologies, a company co-founded by Indian-American engineer Vibhav Altekar.

The operation marked a first for the US military, which used a remotely operated autonomous surface vessel to recover personnel at sea.

The Corsair drone boat

The Corsair has been deployed by the US Armed Forces for some time as part of efforts to expand the use of unmanned systems.

Developed by Saronic Technologies, the 24-foot-long vessel runs on diesel fuel and can travel at speeds of up to 35 knots. It has a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles and can reportedly carry payloads weighing up to 1,000 pounds.

The vessel is powered by artificial intelligence and forms part of the US Navy’s Task Force 59, which oversees uncrewed vessels and AI-enabled drones. The programme is part of the Pentagon’s broader push to integrate autonomous platforms alongside conventional military assets.

What we know about Saronic Technologies

According to the company’s LinkedIn profile, Saronic Technologies holds a production contract worth USD 392 million with the US Navy for autonomous surface vessels.

The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and was founded in September 2022 by former Navy SEAL Dino Mavrookas and three co-founders, including Vibhav Altekar. The other founders are Doug Lambert and Rob Lehman.

The company focuses on developing autonomous maritime systems for defence applications.

Who is Vibhav Altekar?

Altekar serves as the Chief Technology Officer of Saronic Technologies. He studied electrical engineering at the University of California and leads the development of the company’s autonomous systems and software architecture.

According to the company’s website, he oversees Forward Deployed Engineering, Product, Special Programmes and Software teams. His work involves coordinating cross-disciplinary groups focused on perception, navigation, machine learning, command and control systems, and systems integration.

Altekar is regarded as a specialist in autonomous systems and maritime technology and has spent much of his career working on projects linked to the US Department of Defense.

Before joining Saronic, he was among the early engineers at defence technology company Anduril. There, he led engineering efforts across several programmes, including work on the Royal Australian Navy’s Ghost Shark drone submarine.

The successful rescue near the Strait of Hormuz has brought renewed attention to autonomous maritime technology and the role played by engineers such as Altekar in developing next-generation defence systems.

About the Author

Shuddhanta Patra

Shuddhanta Patra, a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience, serves as Senior Sub‑Editor at CNN News 18. With expertise across national politics, geopolitics, business news, she has influen...Read More

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