AUKUS Enters Partnership To Bolster Cutting Edge Underwater Technology.

Singapore/London; May 2026: Pioneering technologies deployed from uncrewed underwater vessels have been announced by AUKUS Defence Ministers at Shangri-La-Dialogue in Singapore yesterday (Saturday – 30th May 2026) which pushed forward progress in the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The joint development of transformational tech is the first signature project to be announced under Pillar 2 of the partnership, with the first capabilities expected in service next year.

Under AUKUS:

• Pillar 1 focuses on Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines,
• Pillar 2 pools the talents of each nations’ defence sector to develop advanced military capabilities to support security around the world.

Announced by UK Defence Secretary John Healey alongside US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Singapore, the new project will see AUKUS partners ‘step on the accelerator’ for Pillar 2 of the programme to develop, produce and deploy cutting-edge technologies carried by uncrewed underwater vessels (UUV). The work shows how AUKUS partners are collaborating to rapidly develop groundbreaking maritime capabilities to boost warfighting readiness.

This work will support the development of payloads, such as sensors and weapons systems, that can be deployed across AUKUS UUV fleets, increasing collective strength and deterrence across the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic. This project will provide opportunities for UK industry in furthering work on underwater capabilities, supporting good jobs and growth across the nation.

Defence Secretary John Healey said: “AUKUS is delivering for our security and for our economy. Together we are announcing ground-breaking underwater capabilities that will keep Britain safe, backing British businesses that are driving growth, and standing shoulder to shoulder with our closest allies. This is what modern defence looks like. We’re stepping on the accelerator to develop cutting-edge tech to boost our collective deterrence and support our shared security”.

John Healy has further stated that, “the first capabilities are expected to be in service by 2027 and will help drive the Royal Navy’s transition to a Hybrid Navy, which is a more flexible, modern force that blends crewed and uncrewed platforms. The payloads will allow the Royal Navy to detect underwater threats to the UK and allies’ critical undersea infrastructure. The Royal Navy will be able to integrate payloads from the US and Australia, meaning a more effective and lethal force. The tech will be used to reinforce the future SSN-AUKUS attack submarine fleet.

Defence Secretary John Healey also announced the winners of the 2025 AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge. The challenge is the second iteration of AUKUS Pillar 2’s Innovation Challenge Series and sought companies innovating which enable the command, control and teaming of undersea systems. 

Three of the four winning suppliers are UK based:

• Decision Analysis Services Ltd., an SME based in Basingstoke;
• SEA Ltd., a large enterprise based in Frome;
• A-2i, a micro-consultancy based in Dorchester, Dorset;
• MSI Transducers, a large enterprise based near Boston, USA.

The winners show the breadth and diversity of innovation across AUKUS innovation: 03 UK and 01 US company, 01 SME, 02 large suppliers, and 01 micro-consultancy. Each company will receive a share of £3 million in funding to develop and test their capabilities. This investment in 03 British companies demonstrates how defence is driving economic growth across the UK, creating skilled jobs and opportunities for companies of all sizes. The UK Government is committed to backing SMEs and scalable business.

The AUKUS Defence Ministers also announced progress in establishing the Submarine Rotational Force-West, which will see a rotational presence of UK and US nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stirling in Australia. The first rotation of a nuclear-powered US submarine to HMAS Stirling is expected in 2027, to be followed by a UK Astute Class submarine. This follows the first successful submarine maintenance period (SMP) conducted on a UK Astute class submarine at HMAS Stirling earlier this year.

Yesterday’s announcements are the latest in a series of significant milestones delivered by this Government under AUKUS, building on the Geelong Treaty signed in July 2025, which established the framework for the deepest level of bilateral UK-Australian defence cooperation in generations.

The AUKUS partnership is backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027.

Yesterday, on 30th May – Richard Marles, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of War, and John Healey, UK Secretary of State for Defence, met at the US Embassy in Singapore and re-affirmed their commitment to delivering the AUKUS partnership.

1.1 Pillar I – Conventionally-Armed, Nuclear-Powered Submarines –

Through discussions, the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries confirmed that AUKUS Pillar I remain on track to support Australia’s acquisition of a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries confirmed key milestones continue to be met for Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) and announced the finalization of necessary arrangements for the establishment of SRF-West in 2027. SRF-West will directly support submarine deployments by expanding maintenance options and sustainment infrastructure in the region and will accelerate Australia’s readiness to own, operate, maintain, and regulate a sovereign conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability. Just this month, the United States authorized establishment of the U.S. Navy support elements for SRF-West and will begin rotating the first U.S. Navy personnel to HMAS Stirling later this year. Likewise, the United Kingdom reaffirmed its commitment to have a rotational presence as part of SRF-West and noted the successful Submarine Maintenance Period conducted earlier this year by HMS ANSON.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries acknowledged Australia’s planned investments of up to AUD 8 billion at SRF-West for infrastructure and logistics support at HMAS Stirling, along with Australia’s initial down payments of AUD 3.9 billion to deliver the new Submarine Construction Yard in South Australia and AUD 12 billion for the Henderson Defence Precinct—including to support the delivery of contingency docking and depot level maintenance capabilities.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia’s acquisition of Virginia-class submarines (VCS), simplifying supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximising cost efficiencies. This approach would enable Australia to acquire three in-service VCS in lieu of a mixture of new and in-service VCS variants.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries acknowledged significant progress in the design and delivery of SSN-AUKUS, which will provide the UK and Australia with an advanced warfighting capability. This progress has been underpinned by investments from both the UK and Australia, including GBP 6 billion that the UK committed in 2025.

1.2 Pillar II – Advanced Capabilities –

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries reaffirmed the critical importance of accelerating the delivery of advanced capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II. They announced the first AUKUS Pillar II Signature Project: developing cutting-edge payloads and enabling systems for AUKUS partners’ Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles (UUVs), with delivery starting in 2027. This project is intended to significantly enhance AUKUS partners’ ability to protect critical national seabed infrastructure; deploy cutting edge surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike capabilities; conduct logistics operations; and bolster superiority in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, and contested littoral manoeuvre.

1.3 Defence Trade and Industrial Base Collaboration –

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries confirmed their support for expanding the breadth of the AUKUS license-free environment between AUKUS partners by taking expeditious and practical steps to narrow the list of excluded technologies.  The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries also reaffirmed the value of the Advanced Capabilities Industry Forum and deepening collaboration across the trilateral defence industrial base.

Team Maverick.