The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia will continue developing next-generation underwater unmanned systems under the AUKUS defence agreement. The parties do not rule out that these systems could enter military service as early as 2027.
In a joint statement by the three countries’ defence ministries, it was noted that the project is being implemented under the “second pillar” of AUKUS and covers artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, underwater and hypersonic systems, as well as cybersecurity.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the partner countries will develop multi-purpose unmanned systems with high adaptability for underwater operations. UK Defence Secretary John Healey emphasized that the cooperation will accelerate the development of next-generation sensor and weapons technologies.
Established in 2021, AUKUS aims to strengthen defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. One of its key projects is also equipping Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.
