TECH

Australia bets on “ghost sharks” to reinforce its Navy

The technological race has also reached the bottom of the sea. Australia has taken a bold step by inaugurating a factory in Sydney dedicated to “Ghost Shark” underwater drones. Created by the American company Anduril Industries, these autonomous robots will be the Royal Australian Navy's new trump card for monitoring and protecting the country's vast maritime territory.

The contract, valued at 1.7 billion Australian dollars, provides for the development and manufacture of dozens of unmanned underwater vehicles over the next five years. The plan is for the ghost sharks to operate alongside submarines and warships, carrying out reconnaissance, surveillance and strategic defense missions.

The factory, with 7,400 square meters, is expected to reach large-scale production by 2026 and generate around 150 jobs. In addition to serving the Australian Navy, the drones may be exported to the United States and other allied countries, subject to approval by the local government.

The Australian investment reflects a global trend: the growing use of autonomous drones in maritime defense. The “Ghost Shark” is designed to operate stealthily, with sensors and navigation systems that allow for long unmanned missions.

For Australia, which is vying for influence in the Pacific Ocean amid tensions with China, the investment represents a strategy of deterrence and technological autonomy. Anduril, known for its work with the Pentagon, thus reinforces its presence in the Indo-Pacific military axis.

The “ghost sharks” are more than just machines: they symbolize a new era of silent warfare. With them, Australia is diving deep into the struggle for technological supremacy — now, in the depths of the ocean.

The factory opening follows the Royal Australian Navy’s award of a A$1.7BN contract to Anduril Australia to deliver a large fleet of Ghost Sharks over the next five years. Anduril announced the successful Program of Record designation after successfully completing the co-development contract and delivering three Ghost Shark XL-AUVs ahead of schedule and on-budget. This was a part of the AU$140M co-development contract to design and develop three Ghost Shark XL-AUVs in three years.

The new 7,400m² facility is purpose-built to produce Ghost Shark, and its commercial baseline the Dive-XL, at-scale and, subject to Government approval, for export to allies and partners around the world. It combines advanced robotic manufacturing, AI-driven logistics and a custom test tank for in-water verification of buoyancy, electrical systems and safety before sea trials.

The Ghost Shark manufacture program has commenced with Low-Rate Initial Production, moving to full scale production in 2026. It incorporates input from a supply chain of over 40 Australian SMEs and companies that provide a broad range of components, subcomponents and materials.

mundophone