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Aukus unveils underwater drone initiative
The United States, United Kingdom, and Australia have announced plans to jointly develop uncrewed undersea vehicle (UUV) technology under their Aukus military alliance. The project aims to enhance protection of undersea infrastructure and bolster defence capabilities in key regions.
Project timeline and funding
The UUV technology is expected to be operational by 2027, with the UK committing £150 million ($201 million) to the initiative. The total project cost was not disclosed. The announcement was made by defence ministers from the three nations during a security summit in Singapore.
Addressing past criticism
UK Defence Secretary John Healey acknowledged previous concerns about slow progress within Aukus, stating, "For too long in Aukus, we talked too much and delivered too little. That has now changed under our three governments."
Capabilities and strategic goals
A joint statement outlined that the UUVs would be equipped with "cutting-edge payloads and enabling systems" for multiple roles, including protecting seabed infrastructure, conducting strikes, surveillance, reconnaissance, and logistics operations. Healey emphasized that the technology would provide forces with advanced battle capabilities and help counter threats to critical undersea cables and pipelines.
Geopolitical context
The Aukus pact, established in 2021, is widely viewed as a countermeasure to China's expanding maritime influence in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in disputed areas like the South China Sea. The UUV project falls under Aukus's Pillar Two, which focuses on advanced capabilities such as hypersonic missiles, undersea robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Recent incidents have heightened concerns about undersea infrastructure security. In June, Healey accused Russia of conducting covert operations near cables and pipelines in waters north of the UK, an allegation Moscow denies. The UK and Norway signed an agreement in December to monitor Russian submarines in the North Atlantic amid a reported 30% increase in Russian vessel activity in UK waters over recent years.
Chinese vessels are also suspected of damaging undersea cables near Taiwan and in Swedish waters, with multiple cable disruptions reported in the Baltic Sea.
Submarine project progress
Under Pillar One of the Aukus pact, nuclear-powered attack submarines will be constructed in the UK and Australia for their navies. Australia, set to become the second country after the UK to receive US nuclear propulsion technology, faces scrutiny over the timeline and feasibility of replacing its ageing submarine fleet.
The Aukus submarines are not expected to be operational until the 2040s. In the interim, the US and UK will rotate their existing nuclear-powered submarines through Australia, with the first US personnel arriving later this year. Australia plans to purchase secondhand US submarines in the 2030s.
"We had to proceed with the Aukus submarine project because there is no plan B," said Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles ahead of the Singapore summit.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the rotational submarine plan remains on track, while Marles stated that Australia's HMAS Stirling navy base would be ready to host the rotational force by the end of 2027. Efforts are also underway to establish a construction yard in South Australia for building the Aukus submarines.
