Australia reveals Ghost Shark drones can launch aerial drones and carry sea mines

Australia has declassified new details about its Ghost Shark autonomous underwater drones, saying they can launch armed aerial drones and carry advanced sea mines. The disclosure sets out for the first time how the submarines could be used against potential adversaries. It also confirms that the capability is being shared with the United Kingdom and the United States under AUKUS technology-sharing arrangements.

According to the newly released information, the Ghost Shark can launch swarms of Anduril Altius aerial drones for reconnaissance or for attacks on enemy vessels. Defence said the aerial drones can carry four kilograms of explosives. The underwater drones can also carry up to 12 sea mines at a time, which officials said could be used to quickly close access to critical waterways.

A third disclosed role is carrying special supply caches for special forces units operating in hard-to-reach locations. The drones are being delivered to the Royal Australian Navy under a $1.7 billion contract signed last year. Contracts for the supply of the Ghost Shark system were signed last September, and the first unit was delivered in January this year.

Defence said the fleet will consist of "dozens and dozens" of drones, although the total number has not been made public. The drones are already in service this month during joint Maritime Big Play exercises with the United States and the United Kingdom off Southern California. The disclosure matters because it gives a clearer picture of how Australia intends to use autonomous undersea systems in future operations.

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The combination of underwater stealth, aerial drones and mine-laying capability suggests a platform designed to deny access to contested waters and strike at long range. That has significance for Australia's defence posture and for AUKUS partners, who are being offered the same capabilities. The Ghost Shark programme reflects a wider push by militaries to adopt artificial intelligence in drones and intelligence analysis.

Officials have presented the system as a new kind of threat to potential adversaries, with Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy saying it gives the drones the ability to deny areas through mining and strike targets thousands of nautical miles from Australia. The announcement also places the programme within a broader effort to expand autonomous maritime warfare capabilities among allied forces. What remains unclear is the full size of the fleet and how the capabilities will be integrated into future naval operations.

The government has not disclosed how many drones will ultimately be delivered, beyond saying there will be dozens. It is also not clear how quickly the AUKUS partners will adopt the same payload options. Further details may emerge as deliveries continue and the system is tested in exercises and operational use.

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