The Australian defense sector has had a reputation for being something of a backwater, but the increasing importance of the Indo-Pacific region, saber rattling by China, and North Korea taking missile pot shots over Japan has changed that. Today, the Australian defense budget is undergoing a massive increase, there’s a greater emphasis on domestic defense production, and the Royal Australian Navy is working with the US, Britain, and (perhaps) Japan to acquire long-range nuclear attack submarines capable of operating north of the continent.
Part of this new strategy involves developing autonomous platforms that can act as force multipliers. Instead of just sending out submarine patrols, Canberra wants to include autonomous drones that can operate for long durations without a crew to increase the capabilities of the patrols.
Though not many details have been given about the specifications of the craft, it’s smaller than a conventional submarine because it doesn’t require the pressure-proof hull for a crew or the complex sound-deadening equipment needed to muffle the noise of the submariners’ moving about and their life support equipment. Instead, the machinery and electronics are set in watertight modules.
When deployed, Ghost Shark will allow the Royal Australian Navy to carry out stealthy, long-range autonomous undersea warfare with persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike capabilities. The craft will be able to work with Navy and allied vessels as part of the AUKUS treaty.
