First Ghost Shark XL-AUV prototype unveiled

The Australian Department of Defence has unveiled its first Ghost Shark Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vessel (XL-AUV), ahead of schedule and on budget.

Ghost Shark will provide the Royal Australian Navy with a stealthy, long-range autonomous undersea warfare capability that can conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) as well as strike missions. It will also enhance Navy’s ability to operate with allies and partners, according to Defence.

The Ghost Shark is being developed in Sydney and funded to the tune of $140 million by a partnership between the RAN, Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and Anduril Australia. It is a modular, multi-purpose capability that can flexibly respond to the Australian Defence Force’s mission requirements, creating an agile force multiplier for Defence. It will become Mission Zero (0) for ASCA.

The partners are building three Ghost Shark XL-AUVs in three years in Australia; the program began in 2022. Anduril Australia is challenging traditional defence development programs by delivering an operationally relevant capability within a fraction of traditional defence timelines. Early creation and testing of the first Ghost Shark has been critical for rapid learning and iteration.

David Goodrich OAM, Executive Chairman and CEO of Anduril Australia said, “The timeline we set to design and produce three Ghost Sharks in three years in Australia, by Australians for the ADF, was extremely ambitious. I am excited to report that we are ahead of schedule and, importantly for a Defence program, we are on budget.”

“This collaboration combines Navy’s expertise, ASCA’s speed to delivery, Defence’s scientific smarts and Anduril Australia’s experience in agile innovation,” said the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond.

Dr Shane Arnott, Senior Vice President Engineering, Anduril Industries said: “For Ghost Shark, we have assembled a unique high-powered engineering team of 121 people from the best-of-Australia, across tech, resources and defence, to fuel this progress.”

Ten Australian companies have partnered with Anduril Australia to be ready for the manufacture of Ghost Shark and Dr Arnott added, “We have 42 Australian companies currently working on Ghost Shark, which is being designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia. We plan to manufacture at scale in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy, and then for export to our allies and partners around the world.

“Using novel scaled agile development techniques, we are combining both tech and defence sector development practices – and it’s paying big dividends. Ghost Shark is a program that we as Australians can be very proud of.”

“ASCA missions address strategically directed priorities that focus on rapidly delivering asymmetric capabilities to Defence,” explained the Head of ASCA, Professor Emily Hilder. Only Defence’s highest priorities are used to select ASCA missions and there must be an identified pathway for the innovation to transition to capability, she explained.

“The co-funded and collaborative contract between Anduril Australia and Defence is a fast and innovative way for Defence to pursue new technology that directly relates to capability needs,” she added.

“We have created an incredibly integrated team for Ghost Shark with DSTG and ASCA team members working alongside with Navy and Anduril – each of us bringing our unique expertise and experience what is ASCA Mission Zero. The only way we’ll succeed at pace is if we do this together.”

ASCA wants to hear from other Australian companies with solutions to Defence’s biggest challenges, she said.

“Ghost Shark is an exemplar of how Defence and Australian industry can move at speed to develop new sovereign capabilities to respond to the challenges before us,” according to the Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy. “By transitioning Ghost Shark to ASCA, a clear statement is being made about Defence’s commitment to the program.

“ASCA is focussed on speeding up the transition of innovation into capability that will give our Australian Defence Force an edge, while creating more jobs for Australians commercialising the technology.”

Ghost Shark will provide Navy with a stealthy, long-range autonomous undersea warfare capability that can conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) as well as strike missions. It will also enhance Navy’s ability to operate with allies and partners.

“Delivering the first Ghost Shark prototype ahead of schedule sets a new standard for capability development at the speed of need,” according to the Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro AC. “The Ghost Shark program is delivering an operationally relevant capability within a fraction of traditional defence timelines. Early creation and testing of the first Ghost Shark has been critical for rapid learning and iteration – this is how we deliver advanced asymmetric capability.

“DSTG is contributing its own pathfinding technologies into the Ghost Shark’s powerful capability, as well as design and development expertise for key systems and payloads.”

The Ghost Shark will form part of the Australian government’s investment of up to $7.2 billion for the development and acquisition of subsea warfare capabilities and new autonomous and uncrewed maritime vehicles. The government is spending more than $10 billion on autonomous and uncrewed systems, including armed systems, as part of a comprehensive plan to provide the ADF with capabilities it needs to meet strategic circumstances, it says.

Navy will also explore the potential for synergies between Navy’s XL-AUV program and future trilateral collaboration through AUKUS Advanced Capabilities.