Britain, Australia, and the United States have unveiled the next phase of the Aukus defence partnership, agreeing to produce equipment for underwater military drones. Defence Secretary John Healey announced the initiative alongside US counterpart Pete Hegseth and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at a defence conference in Singapore.
New Underwater Capabilities
The agreement focuses on developing advanced technologies, including weapons and sensors, for deployment from uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs). Healey stated: “Together we are announcing ground-breaking underwater capabilities that will keep Britain safe, backing British businesses that are driving growth, and standing shoulder to shoulder with our closest allies. This is what modern defence looks like. We’re stepping on the accelerator to develop cutting-edge tech to boost our collective deterrence and support our shared security.”
The project is expected to deliver its first equipment as early as next year, as the Royal Navy transitions toward a “hybrid” model with increased drone usage. This shift has already seen investment in uncrewed minehunters, loaded onto the support ship RFA Lyme Bay for potential deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.
Protecting Subsea Infrastructure
The Ministry of Defence highlighted that the new technology will enable the Royal Navy to detect underwater threats to subsea infrastructure, such as internet cables in the North Sea, which have recently been targeted by Russian spy ships.
First Pillar 2 Project
Saturday’s agreement marks the first project under “pillar 2” of the 2021 Aukus pact, which involves cooperation on cutting-edge military technology. “Pillar 1” is a separate deal to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The announcement comes a month after the Commons Defence Committee warned that pillar 2 had yet to deliver on its promise and risked losing credibility.
Submarine Rotational Force
Additionally, the three politicians confirmed that a US nuclear-powered submarine will visit Australia in 2027 as part of Aukus’s “Submarine Rotational Force-West,” a commitment by the UK and US to maintain a submarine presence at Australia’s Perth naval base. This follows a visit by the UK’s HMS Anson attack submarine earlier this year, which was reportedly cut short due to the outbreak of the Iran war.
