Indo-Pacific 2022: Australia set to explore XLAUVs
Australia’s navy is seeking to cooperate with Anduril to develop an XLAUV for the country’s navy. (Anduril)
For the first time, Australia is moving towards developing extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles.
Australia is pursuing cooperation with US-headquartered firm Anduril Industries on a programme for extra-large autonomous undersea vehicles (XLAUVs).
Commercial negotiations have started for a $100 million co-funded programme to design, develop and build XLAUVs for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Anduril announced on 4 May.
Once approved, the programme would last three years and deliver three prototype craft to the RAN. Anduril admitted it was ‘an incredibly ambitious delivery schedule’ for the capability assessment and prototyping.
Nonetheless, the company promised to ‘deliver the vehicle at a fraction of the cost of existing undersea capabilities in radically lower timeframes’.
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