Ghost Shark Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles' Payload Bay Seen For First Time

Key Points:

• New photos reveal the interior payload bay of Australia’s Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV), showcasing its highly modular design that allows for different mission-specific configurations.
• The Royal Australian Navy plans to use Ghost Shark for “persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike” missions, with newly disclosed payload options including deploying up to 12 sea mines, leaving supply caches on the seabed, and launching ALTIUS aerial drones for reconnaissance or strike.
• The ALTIUS drones, capable of ISR and strike missions, extend the naval force’s reach beyond the submarine’s sensors, with variants weighing 20-27 pounds and a range of around 275 miles; however, details on drone launch capsules remain undisclosed.
• Ghost Shark’s modularity allows it to be deployed flexibly, including from shipping containers or small vessels, and it is part of Australia’s broader AUKUS collaboration with the UK and US, focusing on advanced autonomous undersea warfare technologies.
• Australia is investing up to A$5.8 billion over the next decade in autonomous undersea warfare capabilities, with A$1.7 billion allocated for a new fleet of Ghost Shark vehicles, highlighting the strategic importance of uncrewed systems in Indo-Pacific maritime defense.