SANDY HOOK, Conn. - California-based defense startup Anduril has unveiled the prototype Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The initiative is a collaborative effort that includes the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) and the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).
The partners, participating under a development contract worth A$140 million ($90.1 million), achieved a rare defense industry achievement, with prototype delivery coming only three years after initial negotiations and within budget.
Ghost Shark’s progress contrasts with the Boeing/U.S. Navy Orca XLUUV program, which the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported as three years behind schedule and $242 million over budget in late 2022.
The initial May 2022 agreement between Anduril and the RAN called for the indigenous building and delivery of three XL-AUVs within three years.
The Ghost Shark effort is part of the Australian government’s prioritization of naval systems to counter China in the region. Australia plans to spend some $50 billion over the next ten years to strengthen its naval footprint. According to Defense Minister Richard Marles, Ghost Shark’s modular payload capabilities will allow the RAN to conduct “persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike” missions.
Anduril reports that 42 Australian companies are at work on the project. The company is working quickly to produce the system “at scale” for the RAN. Plans are underway to market Ghost Shark as a global export platform.