Technical

Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: Australia Deploys Ghost Shark Undersea Drones in $1.1B Deal with Anduril

September, 11, 2025-05:16

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 Australia Deploys Ghost Shark Undersea Drones in $1.1B Deal with Anduril:

Australia has achieved in three years what the U.S. Navy has struggled to do for over a decade: move an extra-large undersea drone from concept to contract.

Defense startup Anduril announced Tuesday that its XL Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV), Ghost Shark, will officially enter service in Australian waters next year under a AUS$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) deal.

The five-year agreement secures delivery, maintenance, and ongoing development, while also guaranteeing recurring revenue by placing Ghost Shark as a permanent line item in Australia’s defense budget. The platform is designed for long-range, stealthy surveillance and strike missions, addressing Australia’s strategic need to counter China’s growing naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.

“This comes down to seriousness, imagination, and the will to bring a new idea to life. That’s what the Australian government has done,” said Anduril President Chris Brose. “Australia has fewer people, less money, and the same bureaucratic hurdles as the Pentagon—yet they got it done.”

The U.S. comparison highlights Australia’s speed. Boeing’s Orca XLUUV remains years behind schedule, while Anduril and Australia co-funded Ghost Shark in 2022 with $50 million each. The first prototype was delivered in April 2024 — a full year early — and production is already underway.

This partnership also offers a new procurement model: Anduril invested its own capital to offset risks, enabling Australia to accelerate development.

Anduril’s ambitions extend beyond Australia. According to Shane Arnott, SVP of Maritime, Ghost Shark can be rapidly customized by swapping in mission-specific payload modules. The company has already tested a U.S. payload off California and built a 150,000-square-foot Rhode Island factory to produce Ghost Sharks domestically if the U.S. military decides to adopt the platform.

Brose underscored the contrast:

“The U.S. has spent more time and far more money on its XLUUV program than Australia and Anduril have on Ghost Shark—and yet it’s further behind. We’re more ready to deliver, more mission-capable, and can do it at scale for less cost.”

For Australia, the urgency is clear. As the world’s largest island nation with a small population and close proximity to China, it faces increasing pressure from Beijing’s naval buildup and aggressive drills in the Pacific. Ghost Shark offers a timely, powerful countermeasure.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi