Dateline: SINGAPORE, May 30 - The United States, Britain and Australia have begun cooperative work on unmanned undersea vehicles, officials said, marking a central effort in the AUKUS defence partnership’s technology agenda.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters that the programme falls under what AUKUS refers to as "Pillar Two," a strand of the trilateral pact focused on developing advanced defence technologies. He said Pillar Two encompasses multiple areas of emerging capability, listing quantum computing, undersea systems, hypersonic technology, artificial intelligence and cyber technology as components.
Hegseth described the planned output as a "signature project" that will produce "a suite of highly adaptable multi-mission UUV payloads designed to support undersea operations and maintain our collective advantage in the maritime domain." The comment frames the work as centred on payloads for unmanned undersea vehicles rather than describing platform procurement or basing arrangements.
Speaking alongside Hegseth and Australia’s defence minister on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey said the programme will accelerate the deployment of advanced battlefield technologies. "This will rapidly give our forces the very most advanced battlefield technologies as together we produce a range of cutting-edge sensors and weapons systems for undersea drones," he said.
Healey also critiqued earlier progress under AUKUS, saying: "For too long in AUKUS, we talked too much and delivered too little." His remarks position the UUV payload work as a tangible deliverable intended to address that shortfall.
The three-way AUKUS security arrangement was formed in 2021. The initiative has been framed by its members as a way to enhance defence cooperation and technological collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.
China has reacted negatively to the pact, calling AUKUS dangerous and warning that it could spur a regional arms race. That response was noted by officials discussing the announced UUV effort.
Note on scope: The statements quoted and program descriptions above reflect the officials' remarks as reported at the event; specifics on timelines, procurement quantities or operational basing were not provided in those comments.