The Albanese Government is investing $1.7 billion to acquire a new fleet of Australian‑designed and built extra-large autonomous undersea vehicles – known as the Ghost Shark – for the Royal Australian Navy. Defence has signed a contract with Anduril Australia for the delivery, maintenance and continued development of the Ghost Shark over the next five years, the Australian government's official website said.
The cutting edge platform is designed to conduct intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike operations, stealthily and at long range. It will deliver a significant boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities – complementing Navy’s future surface combatant fleet and conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered submarines.
This announcement builds on the approximately $140 million the Australian Government has already invested in the development of the Ghost Shark platform, payloads and production facilities since entering into a collaborative contract with Anduril in 2022.
Working alongside Defence personnel, Australia’s defence industry and workforce is crucial to delivering this capability.
This five-year contract will support around 120 existing jobs and create more than 150 new highly-skilled, long-term jobs at Anduril Australia.
There are now more than 40 Australian companies working as part of the Ghost Shark supply chain, which are expected to add a further 600 jobs as a result of this investment.
Delivery of uncrewed undersea and surface vessels will provide Australia’s Defence Force an asymmetric capability advantage – a key priority outlined in the 2024 National Defence Strategy.
Continued investment in this capability presents a unique opportunity for Australia to design, engineer, and manufacture sovereign uncrewed maritime warfare capabilities, with strong prospects for export opportunities.