The UK will lead the development of three payloads for uncrewed underwater vehicles under AUKUS, designed to map the seabed, detect submarine threats, and produce non-kinetic underwater effects.
Available to Australian, British, and US underwater drone fleets from 2027, the equipment is intended to expand surveillance capabilities and help protect subsea infrastructure.
Plans include a synthetic aperture sonar for detailed underwater imaging and a deployable anti-submarine warfare sensor to help detect and classify potential threats.
A third payload, described as a deployable non-kinetic effector, is intended to generate underwater effects without a conventional destructive strike.
The development forms part of the first signature project announced in May under AUKUS Pillar II, which covers cooperation on advanced military technologies between Australia, the UK, and the US.
Testing Crewed and Uncrewed Systems Together
The announcement follows a series of trials at Maritime Big Play-Pacific in San Diego, California, where Australia, the UK, and the US tested how their crewed vessels and autonomous systems could operate together.
Activities covered anti-submarine warfare, weapons capabilities, resupply in contested environments, and operations involving the seabed and underwater infrastructure.
Leading the anti-submarine warfare trials, the UK contributed 13 uncrewed surface vessels, two targets, and four underwater gliders through six industry partners.
Participants also tested shared control systems to coordinate different autonomous platforms, supporting the Royal Navy’s planned shift toward a force combining crewed ships with uncrewed systems.
Alongside the trials, British companies SEA and Decision Analysis Services demonstrated technologies developed through the AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge.
Together with UK-based A2i and US company MSI Transducers, they were selected to share 3 million pounds ($4 million) to develop systems for the command, control, and coordination of underwater platforms.
