AUKUS Alliance Fast-Tracks Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Technology for 2027 Deployment]

Pioneering technologies deployed from uncrewed underwater vessels have been announced by AUKUS Defence Ministers at a meeting in Singapore, advancing progress in the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The joint development of transformational tech represents the first signature project to be announced under Pillar 2 of the partnership, with initial capabilities expected in service next year.

Under AUKUS, Pillar 1 focuses on Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, while Pillar 2 pools the defence sectors of all three nations to develop advanced military capabilities supporting global security.

Announced by Defence Secretary John Healey MP alongside U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Singapore, the new project will accelerate Pillar 2 development, producing and deploying cutting-edge technologies for uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUV). This collaboration demonstrates how AUKUS partners are rapidly advancing groundbreaking maritime capabilities to enhance warfighting readiness.

The initiative will support development of payloads, including sensors and weapons systems, deployable across all three nations’ UUV fleets, increasing collective strength and deterrence across the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic. The work will also advance Royal Navy underwater capabilities, supporting skilled jobs and economic growth nationwide.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

AUKUS is delivering for our security and for our economy. 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.

Initial capabilities are expected by 2027 to support the Royal Navy’s transition to a Hybrid Navy — a more flexible, modern force blending crewed and uncrewed platforms. The payloads will enable detection of underwater threats to critical undersea infrastructure and allow integration of U.S. and Australian systems, creating a more effective force. The technology will reinforce the future SSN-AUKUS attack submarine fleet.

Defence Secretary Healey also announced winners of the 2025 AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge, the second iteration of Pillar 2’s Innovation Challenge Series, which sought companies innovating command, control, and teaming of undersea systems. Three of the four winners are UK-based:

• Decision Analysis Services Ltd., an SME based in Basingstoke
• SEA Ltd., a large enterprise based in Frome
• A-2i, a micro-consultancy based in Dorchester, Dorset
• MSI Transducers, a large enterprise based near Boston, USA

Each company will receive a share of £3 million in funding to develop and test their capabilities, demonstrating innovation across AUKUS partners. The investment in British companies shows how defence drives economic growth, creating skilled jobs and opportunities for businesses of all sizes.

AUKUS Defence Ministers also confirmed progress on Submarine Rotational Force-West, establishing a rotational presence of UK and U.S. nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stern in Australia. The first U.S. nuclear-powered submarine rotation to HMAS Stern is expected in 2027, followed by a UK Astute-class submarine. This follows the first successful submarine maintenance period (SMP) conducted on a UK Astute-class submarine at HMAS Stern earlier this year.

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