AUKUS project to develop unmanned undersea vehicles
A new AUKUS project has been announced by Defence Minister Richard Marles with his AUKUS counterparts, with a delivery date set.
Australia, the United States and Britain will develop underwater drones as part of their trilateral AUKUS defence pact.
The new project was announced by Defence Minister Richard Marles, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and UK Defence Secretary John Healey at the US embassy in Singapore, on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri La Dialogue.
AUKUS said in âa joint statement that delivery of the vehicles will start in 2027.
The program will improve the three nationsâ reconnaissance and strike capabilities, âand bolster superiority in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, and contested littoral manoeuvre,â the statement added.
The Defence Ministers of the US, Australia and the US in Singapore. Photo: AP
The program comes under AUKUSâ so-called Pillar Two to develop advanced defence technology including quantum computing, undersea, hypersonic, artificial intelligence and cyber technology.
âThe signature project will âdeliver a âsuite â of highly adaptable multi-mission UUV payloads designed âto support undersea operations and maintain our collective advantage in the maritime domain,â Hegseth told reporters âin âSingapore âon Saturday.
Formed by the three countries in 2021, AUKUS is part of their efforts to push back â against Chinaâs growing âpower âin the Indo-Pacific region.
China has called the AUKUS pact dangerous âand warned âit could spur a regional arms race.
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âThis will rapidly âgive our forces the very most advanced battlefield technologies as together we produce a range of cutting-edge âsensors âand weapons systems âfor undersea drones,â said Britainâs Defence âSecretary John Healey.
Healey added the unmanned âundersea vehicles will sharpen all three countriesâ ability to respond to threats, including those targeting underwater cables and pipelines.
âFor too long in AUKUS, we talked too much and delivered too little,â said Healey.
Under AUKUS, Australia has been promised at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s, before a new fleet of vessels is built for delivery from the 2040s.
Australia eventually plans to build five submarines in South Australia, using US technology and parts made in Britain.
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