On 18 April the Commonwealth Government announced it will deliver a sovereign, autonomous undersea capability, through the Ghost Shark Program. The Ghost Shark unscrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) is being jointly developed and funded by a partnership between Defence and Anduril Australia as part of the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) program.
It was stated that only Defence’s highest priority areas will be addressed by ASCA projects and there must be an identified pathway for the innovation to transition to capability.
Ten Australian companies have partnered with Anduril Australia to be ready for the manufacture of Ghost Shark, and there are 42 Australian companies who stand to benefit in the supply chain. The Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy said, “Ghost Shark is an exemplar of how Defence and Australian industry can move at speed to develop new sovereign capabilities to respond to the challenges before us. By transitioning Ghost Shark to ASCA, a clear statement is being made about Defence’s commitment to the program. ASCA is focussed on speeding up the transition of innovation into capability that will give our Australian Defence Force an edge, while creating more jobs for Australians commercialising the technology.”
Ghost Shark will provide the RAN with a stealthy, long-range UUV capability that can conduct persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike. It will also enhance Navy’s ability to operate with allies and partners.
The Ghost Shark will form part of the Government’s investment of up to $7.2 billion for the development and acquisition of underwater warfare capabilities and new autonomous and uncrewed maritime vehicles. The Government is spending more than $10 billion on autonomous and uncrewed systems, including armed systems, as part of a comprehensive plan to provide the ADF with capabilities it needs to meet strategic circumstances.
The RAN will also explore the potential for synergies between Navy’s XL-AUV program and future trilateral collaboration through AUKUS Advanced Capabilities. The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond said “This collaboration combines Navy’s expertise, ASCA’s speed to delivery, Defence’s scientific smarts and Anduril Australia’s experience in agile innovation. We are a nation girt by sea, and the Ghost Shark is one of the tools we are developing for the Navy to patrol and protect our oceans and our connection to the world.”
