US, UK and Australia to Jointly Develop Underwater Drones Under AUKUS Pact
The three nations issued a joint statement outlining a new Pillar Two initiative to develop uncrewed undersea vehicles. Officials said the effort will deliver advanced sensors and weapons systems to their forces next year.
ukdefencejournal.org.ukBritain, the United States and Australia announced they will jointly develop underwater drones under the AUKUS defence pact. A joint statement issued by the three governments said the scheme will boost each country's strike capabilities and bolster superiority in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, and contested littoral manoeuvre.
The statement also outlined plans to draw on the latest defence technology, ranging from quantum computing to undersea systems, hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence and cyber technology.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the project will rapidly give allied forces the most advanced battlefield technologies through cutting-edge sensors and weapons systems for undersea drones. Healey added that for too long in AUKUS the partners had talked too much and delivered too little.
He said the undersea vehicles will improve each country's ability to respond to threats targeting underwater cables and pipelines.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke in Singapore. He said the three countries are accelerating delivery of advanced capabilities and announced the first AUKUS Pillar Two signature project focused on fielding advanced uncrewed undersea vehicles, or UUVs. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the agreement puts real capability into the hands of the warfighter next year.
He added that the alliance is moving as quickly as possible to enhance combined submarine presence in the Pacific region. The AUKUS alliance was formed in 2021 to counter the rise of China across the Indo-Pacific. Pillar One of the pact focuses on nuclear-powered submarines, while Pillar Two covers advanced technologies.
Beijing branded the AUKUS pact dangerous and warned that the move could trigger a regional arms race.
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