Anduril Ghost Shark uncrewed submarine reveals modular payloads

The Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLUUV), developed through a partnership between Australia and the US-based defense firm Anduril, has had its internal mission bay imagery revealed for the first time. The platform features a highly modular design, allowing for different payload configurations to support various combat roles.

Key revealed capabilities include the deployment of sea mines, such as the Rheinmetall Asteria, and the launch of ALTIUS series unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The ability to launch UAVs from an underwater platform allows the Ghost Shark to function as an underwater mothership, extending reconnaissance and strike ranges beyond its own sensors.

Additionally, the vehicle is designed to carry undersea logistics caches, which can store equipment and supplies in designated maritime areas for future use by special forces or other units. Some of these new mission systems are scheduled to participate in the ‘Maritime Big Play Pacific’ exercise in San Diego, USA, as part of AUKUS Pillar II cooperation to validate advanced maritime technologies and multinational system coordination.