Gathered in a temporary maritime operations center in Arlington, Virginia, military, industry, and political leaders watched multiple satellite images flash onto large monitor screens. These images showed three types of drug-running vessels hundreds of miles away in the Atlantic Ocean — a small, fast, highly maneuverable boat capable of transferring illicit cargo between ships on the high seas; a support ship with a crane for loading and unloading contraband; and a tugboat serving as the recipient ship for smuggling cargo into the United States.
Compiled using sophisticated artificial intelligence and machine-learning systems — combined with advanced detection and tracking software — the images, along with other sensor systems, enabled U.S. military and law enforcement to deploy maritime assets to stop the drug runners from delivering their illegal goods.