Ghost Shark: Australia’s Futuristic Underwater Drone Aims to Bridge Critical Capability Gap
Australia is investing a record amount in the development of Ghost Shark, an autonomous underwater drone designed to strengthen its maritime defense and respond to geopolitical challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Ghost Shark will provide the Royal Australian Navy with a stealthy a stealthy, long-range autonomous undersea warfare capability that can conduct persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike. It will also enhance its ability to operate with allies and partners.
On September 10, 2025, the Australian government formalized an investment of A$1.7 billion, or approximately US$1.1 billion, in the Ghost Shark program. This autonomous underwater drone project is intended to serve as a strategic pivot while awaiting the commissioning of future nuclear submarines under the AUKUS agreement.
The Ghost Shark represents a new generation of autonomous submarines, known as XL-AUVs, capable of long-range unmanned missions. Developed by Anduril Australia, it is scheduled to enter service in early 2026, according to Reuters. These units will complement the Royal Australian Navy’s manned fleet and offer unprecedented surveillance and strike capabilities. Defense Minister Richard Marles said, “This is the highest-tech capability in the world. It exemplifies the fact that Australia is leading the world in terms of autonomous underwater military capabilities (...) This is the culmination of three prototypes of Ghost Shark having already been built, and it demonstrates an exquisite capability which has been designed, developed, prototyped and is now being manufactured here in Australia,” as quoted by news.com.au.
The program was launched in 2022 by the Defence Science and Technology Group to address the need to cover Australia’s vast maritime area. The initiative aims to bridge the capability gap before the delivery of nuclear submarines scheduled for the 2030s. The Ghost Sharks are thus expected to offer a decisive operational advantage in an environment marked by intensifying territorial rivalries, particularly with regard to Chinese ambitions in the Pacific.
The agreement with Anduril Australia is valid for five years and includes the delivery, maintenance, and ongoing development of the Ghost Sharks. The total cost of AUD 1.7 billion is equivalent to USD 1.1 billion. Pat Conroy, Minister for Defense Industry, said: “Dozens of Ghost Sharks will be built in Australia, with opportunities to export to allies.” This prospect places the country among the pioneers of autonomous naval innovation. The economic benefits are substantial. The Sydney production site already supports 120 jobs and plans to create an additional 150. At the same time, Asia-Pacific Defense Reporter highlights the participation of more than 40 Australian companies in the supply chain, which could generate up to 600 additional jobs.
Designed to remain submerged for several weeks, the Ghost Shark is intended for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and, if necessary, discreet strikes. The Guardian points out that its extra-large size allows it to carry various sensor systems or offensive payloads while evading conventional detection methods. This operational discretion is a major asset in the context of submarine warfare, where information and surprise are crucial.
Known also as Dive-XL, Ghost Shark has a flexible architecture capable of rapid integration of large complex payloads or multi-sensor suites. According to Anduril, it is ideal for a variety of missions including seabed survey, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and strike. It leverages an all-electric powertrain capable of executing long-range, long-duration missions without surfacing to increase time on mission and platform survivability, and fits in a standard 40-foot shipping container and can be transported by airlift, ship, or truck. Designed with a two-point lift interface, Ghost Shark can seamlessly launch and recover from a wide array of ships or piers.
The first units are scheduled for delivery in January 2026. Three prototypes have already been completed on time and within budget. With these advances, Australia hopes to ensure strategic continuity: to quickly develop a credible autonomous capability while waiting for the nuclear submarines promised by AUKUS to become operational in the 2030s and 2040s.
