Overview
- Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy confirmed Monday that secret trials approved three offensive payloads for the Ghost Shark: up to 12 sea mines, caches of equipment for special forces, and Anduril’s Altius aerial drones that can be launched to form reconnaissance and strike swarms.
- The Ghost Shark fleet is being produced in a concealed Sydney facility under a reported AU$1.8 billion contract with US defence firm Anduril and has moved from development into scaled production and initial delivery to the Royal Australian Navy.
- Officials say the autonomous submarines can travel long distances and will operate alongside crewed submarines anywhere along Australia’s coastline, though key performance details such as range, speed and size remain classified.
- The capability is framed as part of AUKUS’s second pillar to build interoperable high‑tech systems and will be demonstrated to US and UK partners during planned exercises in San Diego.
- The weaponization of uncrewed subs has prompted debate over cost, secrecy, export controls and legal risks of mines and explosive drone swarms, while Canberra argues the systems strengthen deterrence against growing regional naval forces.