AUKUS Partners Announce Landmark Uncrewed Underwater Technology Project
AUKUS Partners Announce Landmark Uncrewed Underwater Technology Project
Publish Date: 2026-06-01 10:32:00
Source Domain: oceannews.com
The joint development of transformational tech is the first signature project to be announced under Pillar 2 of the partnership, with the first capabilities expected in service next year.
Under AUKUS, Pillar 1 focuses on Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, while Pillar 2 pools the talents of each nation’s defense sector to develop advanced military capabilities to support security around the world.
Announced by Defence Secretary John Healey MP alongside US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Singapore, the new project will see AUKUS partners ‘step on the accelerator’ for Pillar 2 of the program to develop, produce, and deploy cutting-edge technologies carried by uncrewed underwater vessels (UUV). The work shows how AUKUS partners are collaborating to rapidly develop groundbreaking maritime capabilities to boost warfighting readiness.
This work will support the development of payloads, such as sensors and weapons systems, that can be deployed across all three nations’ UUV fleets, increasing collective strength and deterrence across the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic. This project will provide opportunities for UK industry in furthering work on underwater capabilities, supporting good jobs and growth across the nation.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “AUKUS is delivering for our security and for our economy. Together we are announcing ground-breaking underwater capabilities that will keep Britain safe, backing British businesses that are driving growth, and standing shoulder to shoulder with our closest allies. This is what modern defense looks like. We’re stepping on the accelerator to develop cutting-edge tech to boost our collective deterrence and support our shared security.”
The first capabilities are expected to be in service by 2027 and will help drive the Royal Navy’s transition to a Hybrid Navy—a more flexible, modern force that…
