The United States, United Kingdom and Australia have announced plans to jointly develop advanced underwater drone technology aimed at protecting critical undersea infrastructure and strengthening defence capabilities.
The project will be carried out under the AUKUS military alliance and is expected to deliver operational technology by next year.
British Defence Secretary John Healey said the United Kingdom will contribute £150 million towards the programme, although the total project cost has not been disclosed.
The announcement was made during a regional security summit in Singapore, where defence ministers from the three countries discussed future military cooperation.
Responding to criticism over the pace of progress within AUKUS, Healey acknowledged that the alliance had previously focused more on discussions than delivery but said significant progress is now being made.
The new initiative involves the development of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), which can operate without onboard crews and perform a wide range of military and security tasks.
According to a joint statement, the drones will be equipped with advanced payloads and enabling systems capable of protecting undersea cables and other seabed infrastructure.
The technology could also be used for surveillance, reconnaissance, logistics support and precision strike operations.
The project marks the first major signature programme under AUKUS Pillar Two, which focuses on advanced military technologies including artificial intelligence, hypersonic weapons and undersea robotics.
Launched in 2021, the AUKUS partnership aims to deepen defence cooperation among the three nations and is widely viewed as part of efforts to counter China’s growing maritime influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The alliance has already committed to cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines and other advanced defence technologies.
