US, UK, Australia Plan Underwater Drone Project Under AUKUS Pact
The project will focus on creating uncrewed undersea vehicles (UUVs), with the technology expected to be operational by next year. While the overall cost of the initiative has not been disclosed, UK Defence Secretary John Healey said Britain would invest £150 million (about $201 million) in the effort.
The announcement was made during a security forum in Singapore, where defense ministers from the three countries outlined plans to accelerate cooperation following criticism that progress on AUKUS initiatives had been slower than expected.
Addressing those concerns, Healey said, "for too long in Aukus, we talked too much and delivered too little," adding, "that has now changed under our three governments".
Established in 2021, AUKUS was created to deepen defense collaboration among the three nations, including the development of nuclear-powered submarines and the sharing of advanced military technologies.
The alliance is widely viewed as a strategic response to China's expanding maritime influence in the Indo-Pacific region and growing tensions in contested areas such as the South China Sea.
Reports indicate that the underwater drone initiative will be the first flagship program under AUKUS Pillar Two, which focuses on developing advanced capabilities in fields such as hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, and undersea robotic systems.
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