Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have announced a new project under the Aukus treaty to develop underwater drone technology designed to protect critical undersea cables. The announcement came as Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles warned that the “seabed is a battlefield” during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Marles said undersea internet cables, which he described as “the arteries of modern civilisation”, were being cut at an unprecedented rate. He cited five incidents in the Taiwan Strait and three in the Baltic Sea over the past 18 months, attributed to China and Russia respectively. “Even if these were accidents, they highlight the vulnerability of this crucial infrastructure,” Marles stated.
The project, described as the first “signature project” under the second pillar of Aukus, will focus on developing a range of sensors and weapons systems for uncrewed underwater vessels (UUVs). US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the initiative would deliver “highly adaptable multi-mission UUV payloads” to support undersea operations. UK Defence Secretary John Healey added that the technology would “rapidly give our forces the most advanced battlefield technologies”.
In a related development, it was revealed that Australia will purchase three secondhand Virginia-class submarines from the US, rather than a mix of old and new vessels. The change was made to “simplify supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximise cost efficiencies”. This forms part of the first pillar of Aukus, which focuses on nuclear-powered submarines.
Marles also criticised the use of “shadow-fleet” ships, which he said operate in a grey zone between commercial shipping and state coercion. He noted these vessels are used for sanctions evasion, transporting energy for Russia’s war efforts, illegal fishing, and trafficking. He urged China to be more transparent about its maritime operations, saying it would contribute to regional stability.
