A first-of-its-kind U.S. military drone rescue helped save two Army aviators after their Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the growing role of autonomous technology in combat operations.

An unmanned Navy vessel located the downed crew and brought them to safety after they spent about two hours in the water following the early Tuesday crash off the coast of Oman, according to U.S. Central Command.

Military officials said it was the first known at-sea rescue conducted by a U.S. military drone. The 24-foot autonomous vessel, known as the Corsair and built by Saronic Technologies, is assigned to the Navy's Task Force 59, the service's pioneering unit focused on uncrewed and artificial intelligence-powered maritime operations.

President Donald Trump said both pilots survived the incident unharmed.

"The pilots are fine. Yeah. Nobody injured," Trump told reporters.

The Apache helicopter went down during a patrol mission near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The successful rescue offers a glimpse into how autonomous systems are transforming military operations, with the Navy increasingly deploying drone vessels to monitor and secure key waterways in the Middle East.