CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Australian defense leaders have disclosed new Ghost Shark payloads, marking the first detailed look at how the Royal Australian Navy plans to arm and equip its extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles. The announcement of Ghost Shark payloads came during an Oct. 19 event at Anduril Australia’s manufacturing facility in Sydney.
During the unveiling, officials outlined three initial Ghost Shark payloads now being fielded.
- Sea mines
- A swarm of Altius-600 loitering munitions
- Logistics supply caches
Two of the three Ghost Shark payloads provide kinetic options, giving the XLAUVs added striking power. Officials said a single vehicle can covertly lay about a dozen sea mines, a capability suited to contested waterways and maritime chokepoints. Anduril’s Altius systems can conduct surveillance and deliver precision attacks, providing a dual-use tool for reconnaissance and strike.
Discussing the non-kinetic package, an official declined to elaborate on the logistics caches, saying only that observers could “use their imagination about the sort of forces that would use these on deployment.”
The Department of Defence said the platform’s modular design supports a variety of mission-specific payloads. Additional Ghost Shark payloads are in development, which officials indicated are likely to include lightweight and heavyweight torpedoes and electronic warfare suites.
Ghost Shark payloads support rapid, flexible deployment
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said Ghost Sharks can be launched from standard shipping containers, from the stern of smaller vessels, or from wharves. He added that the system “places question marks in adversaries’ minds,” highlighting the deterrent value of unpredictable undersea operations.
With Australia awaiting the arrival of nuclear-powered submarines and its six Collins-class diesel-electric boats nearing the end of their service lives, autonomous undersea systems are intended to bridge key capability gaps. Conroy noted that Anduril Australia opened its factory less than a year ago and that Ghost Sharks capable of complex, long-range missions are now entering service with the Navy at a growing pace.
Canberra has committed A$1.7 billion, about US$1.2 billion, to procure a fleet of Ghost Sharks. Officials have characterized the buy as “dozens and dozens” of XLAUVs, though the exact number remains undisclosed. In parallel, the Royal Australian Navy is also bringing the smaller Speartooth XLAUV from C2 Robotics into service.
Navy Chief Vice Adm. Matt Buckley said modular, swappable payloads for uncrewed vessels like Ghost Shark provide “enormous flexibility” and will allow the service to rapidly adapt to future missions and requirements. He emphasized the need to deliver relevant capability quickly, bolster undersea warfare and seabed operations, contribute to sea denial, and protect critical subsea infrastructure.
The Ghost Shark and its payloads have featured in recent Maritime Big Play Pacific exercises, including an event in San Diego in October. The first Ghost Shark was delivered to the Royal Australian Navy for testing and acceptance in early 2026.