Jun 3, 2026 - World

AUKUS partners building undersea weapons and sensors

Colin Demarest

Three men in dark suits stand behind clear lecterns. The American, Australian and British flags hang behind them, against a blue curtain. — Defense chiefs Pete Hegseth, Richard Marles and John Healey at the Pentagon in December 2025. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S., U.K. and Australia will together develop interchangeable sensors and weapons for their uncrewed underwater vessels.

Why it matters: It's the first "signature" undertaking for AUKUS Pillar II, the autonomy, cyber, electronic warfare and quantum side of the trilateral pact so often associated with submarines.

Driving the news: The announcement coincided with the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Payload delivery is expected to begin next year.

Zoom in: The governments hinted at the capabilities that are in development in a joint statement, saying the project will "significantly enhance" their ability to protect seabed infrastructure, like cables and pipelines; conduct surveillance; strike targets; ferry supplies; and hunt other ships and subs.

What they're saying: "Indo-Pacific security and Euro‑Atlantic security are indivisible. What happens here matters to Brits at home, it matters to Americans, it matters to Aussies, too," U.K. Defense Minister John Healey said.

London has committed approximately £150 million, or $202 million, he added.

The big picture: Uncrewed vessels, either on or below the waves, are considered key contributors to navies of the future. They can monitor far-flung corners of the world, relay communications, soak incoming fire and more.

The bottom line: "For too long with AUKUS, we talked too much and delivered too little," Healey said. "Make no mistake, this is a big step forward."

Go deeper: Ditching AUKUS will "cause grave damage" in Indo-Pacific, says McCaul

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AUKUS partners building undersea weapons and sensors

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