Australia will spend $1.1 billion on constructing dozens of regionally developed underwater assault drones, Protection Minister Richard Marles mentioned on Wednesday.
The primary of the stealthy, long-range “Ghost Sharks” can be delivered to the Australian navy in January subsequent 12 months below a five-year contract with Sydney-based Anduril Australia, Marles mentioned.
“Australia is leading the world in terms of autonomous, underwater military capabilities,” Marles informed reporters in Sydney.
The massive, autonomous underwater automobiles would considerably enhance Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, complementing a fleet of submarines powered with U.S. nuclear expertise, Marles mentioned.
The primary of these submarines offered below the AUKUS partnership with the US and Britain received’t be delivered to Australia till 2032.
Australian Minister for Protection Trade Pat Conroy and Protection Minister Richard Marles, left, are pictured with an autonomous undersea automobile often known as the Ghost Shark at HMAS Kuttabul naval base in Sydney, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025.
Mick Tsikas / AP
Marles wouldn’t say exactly what number of Ghost Sharks can be constructed. However he mentioned the Australian navy can be supplied with “dozens” over the following 5 years.
He additionally wouldn’t touch upon the Ghost Sharks’ vary apart from to explain it as “very long range.”
As an island continent and a buying and selling nation, Australia sees the opportunity of its sea routes being blocked by an enemy as a serious strategic menace.
A Chinese language navy flotilla performed a live-fire train within the sea between Australia and New Zealand in February in what was broadly considered an illustration of China’s rising navy attain.
The flotilla virtually fully circumnavigated Australia. The Chinese language navy hardly ever travels to date south.
California-based Anduril Industries was contracted in 2022 to supply three Ghost Shark prototypes for the Australian navy.
The Ghost Shark is designed to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles in addition to strike operations, a authorities assertion mentioned.
Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond mentioned the drones could possibly be launched from the shore and from floor ships.
Hammond mentioned he anticipated the “undersea battlespace” will grow to be more and more congested and contested.
“I believe our allies and partners will continue to enjoy a capability advantage in that space provided we invest in capabilities like Ghost Shark and others as well as our crewed systems for years to come,” Hammond mentioned.
Final 12 months, the partnership introduced that Japan would work with AUKUS on maritime autonomy and, in accordance with the official, there are additionally conversations with Canada, South Korea, and New Zealand about potential initiatives on rising capabilities.
Final month, Australia mentioned it might additionally improve its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates constructed by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, first coming into service by 2030.
Billed as considered one of Japan’s largest defence export offers since World Warfare II, Australia has agreed to pay US$6 billion over the following 10 years to amass the fleet of stealth frigates.
Mogami-class warships — superior stealth frigates geared up with a potent array of weapons — are to interchange Australia’s ageing fleet of Anzac-class vessels.
China has accused AUKUS of frightening a nuclear arms race and disrupting peace and safety within the Indo-Pacific area.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
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