Ghost Shark Uncrewed Submarine Shown Launching Aerial Drones For The First Time

Key Points:

• New footage from manufacturer Anduril reveals Australia's Ghost Shark XL-AUV launching aerial drones from 12-tube angled launchers, marking the first visual confirmation of its drone deployment system and showing two previously unseen deployable masts.
• The Ghost Shark can deploy up to two dozen ALTIUS-type drones per sortie, enabling swarms for broad-area surveillance, electronic warfare, or strike missions, enhancing persistent ISR and strike capabilities without risking crewed submarines.
• The modular design allows payload flexibility, accommodating various drone types or other systems like sea mines and seabed supply caches, expanding the vehicle's role beyond traditional underwater surveillance to diverse undersea warfare missions.
• Deployable masts likely support drone communications and satellite links, allowing Ghost Shark to control drones remotely or operate autonomously while remaining mostly submerged, maintaining a low detection profile.
• The Ghost Shark is part of Australia’s broader autonomous maritime strategy under the AUKUS partnership, complementing other platforms like the Speartooth LUUV and BlueBottle USV, aiming to advance undersea warfare technologies collaboratively with the UK and US.