Ghost Shark XL-AUV Prototype. Image – Anduril
California-based defense startup Anduril has unveiled the prototype Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The initiative is a collaborative effort that includes the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) and the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).
The partners, participating under a development contract worth A$140 million ($90.1 million), achieved a rare defense industry achievement, with prototype delivery coming only three years after initial negotiations and within budget.
Ghost Shark’s progress contrasts with the Boeing/U.S. Navy Orca XLUUV program, which the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported as three years behind schedule and $242 million over budget in late 2022.
The initial May 2022 agreement between Anduril and the RAN called for the indigenous building and delivery of three XL-AUVs within three years.
The Ghost Shark effort is part of the Australian government’s prioritization of naval systems to counter China in the region. Australia plans to spend some $50 billion over the next ten years to strengthen its naval footprint. According to Defense Minister Richard Marles, Ghost Shark’s modular payload capabilities will allow the RAN to conduct “persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike” missions.
Anduril reports that 42 Australian companies are at work on the project. The company is working quickly to produce the system “at scale” for the RAN. Plans are underway to market Ghost Shark as a global export platform.
A former naval officer and helicopter pilot, Jon covers a range of Forecast International reports and products, drawing on his 10-year background in military aviation, operations, and education. His previous military assignments include multiple overseas deployments supporting operations in the Arabian Gulf, NATO exercises, and humanitarian missions. Jon’s work is also influenced by his time as a former Presidential Management Fellow and international trade specialist at the Department of Commerce.
Before joining Forecast International, Jon also served as an NROTC instructor and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Texas, where he taught undergraduate courses on naval history, navigation, defense organization, and naval operations and warfare. A lifelong reader and learner, his academic and professional interests include aviation, political and military history, national defense and security, and foreign area studies.
