Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced a new phase of cooperation under the Aukus security partnership to develop advanced uncrewed undersea vehicles (UUVs) and deepen naval ties.
The defense ministers unveiled the initiative in Singapore, saying the three countries will invest in systems, sensors and weapons for autonomous underwater drones. Officials described the effort as a program to field adaptable, multi-mission UUV payloads and “effectors” to support undersea operations and preserve a collective technological edge in the maritime domain.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the work will deliver cutting-edge battlefield technologies for undersea operations, while UK Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized rapid development of sensors and weapons systems for UUVs. Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles joined in announcing the package and the broader coordination.
As part of the same set of agreements, the partners confirmed that US submarine rotational deployments to Western Australia remain on schedule, with rotations expected to begin by late 2027 at HMAS Stirling. The move is intended to strengthen regional deterrence and operational interoperability among the three navies.
The ministers also said they would streamline Australia’s planned purchase of US nuclear-powered submarines by focusing on in-service Virginia-class variants rather than a mix of used and new hulls. Canberra would still retain the option to buy up to two additional boats if required. Australian officials said standardizing on a single variant should simplify training, maintenance and supply-chain arrangements.
Aukus, launched in 2021 under the Biden administration, rests on multiple pillars: one covering partnership on submarines and another for sharing advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced weapons. The new UUV program falls under the technology-sharing pillar and is intended to accelerate cooperative development of unmanned undersea capabilities.
US officials said the United States reviewed its commitments to Aukus in recent years and reaffirmed its support for the project. Details on the specific drone systems and payloads were not disclosed publicly, with officials referring generally to modular payloads and effectors that can perform a range of missions.
The announcement marks the latest step in Aukus’s effort to integrate industrial planning, training and weapons development across the three partners while expanding the role of autonomous systems in maritime security.