US, UK and Australia Accelerate Development of New Underwater Drones to Counter China
The US, UK, and Australia are accelerating cooperation on the development of uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) as part of the trilateral AUKUS defence pact. The move is seen as strengthening the military capabilities of the three nations amid growing strategic rivalry with China in the Indo-Pacific region.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the deployment of the underwater drone systems will begin in 2027 as part of AUKUS’s advanced defence technology development agenda.
According to a joint statement from the three countries, the UUVs will enhance capabilities in intelligence gathering, attack operations, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, and coastal operations in contested areas.
“This flagship project will deliver a highly adaptable multi-mission UUV payload suite designed to support underwater operations and maintain our collective maritime superiority,” Hegseth said during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday.
The programme falls under AUKUS’s “Pillar Two” scheme, focusing on next-generation military technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, underwater technologies, hypersonic systems, and cyber capabilities.
AUKUS was established in 2021 by the US, UK, and Australia to bolster power balance in the Indo-Pacific. However, Beijing has repeatedly criticised the pact, viewing it as potentially sparking a new regional arms race.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the collaboration would expedite the deployment of cutting-edge combat technologies for the armed forces of the three nations.
“This will rapidly equip our forces with the most advanced battlefield technologies as we jointly produce sophisticated sensors and weaponry systems for underwater drones,” he stated.
According to Healey, the new systems will also enhance the three nations’ ability to counter threats to undersea infrastructure, including communication cables and energy pipelines vital to the global economy.