Sea-Launched Drones Remain a Homeland Threat Despite Unverified Alert

An FBI alert warning of a possible Iranian drone attack on California launched from an offshore vessel was based on unverified intelligence and issued as a precaution. Regardless, it underscores a long-standing, plausible threat: sea- or ship-launched long-range drones that can be hard to detect and reach U.S. shores. The risk spans Shahed-136-type drones and other one-way weapons, fueling ongoing calls for expanded counter-drone defenses even as domestic defenses lag behind technological advances.