Govt orders “dozens” of Oz-made Ghost Sharks

The government is investing $1.7 billion to acquire a new fleet of Australian­‑designed and built extra-large autonomous undersea vehicles – known as the Ghost Shark – for the Royal Australian Navy.

CAPTION: Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy, at Fleet Base East in Sydney, inspect a Ghost Shark prototype before announcing the a new fleet of Australian designed and built Ghost Sharks for the Royal Australian Navy. ADF photo by Kym Smith.

Defence signed a contract with Anduril Australia for the delivery, maintenance and continued development of the Ghost Shark over the next five years.

Minister for Defence [who insists on being called Deputy Prime Minister, even when making Defence-portfolio announcements such as this] said the cutting-edge platform was designed to conduct intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike operations, stealthily and at long range.

“Ghost Shark is a world-leading platform made right here in Australia,” Defence Minister Marles said.

“Our investments in the Ghost Shark are fast-charging the development of long‑range, undersea autonomous vehicles for our Navy while also backing Australian businesses.

“Over the next five years and beyond the Ghost Shark will equip Navy with the intelligence, surveillance and strike capabilities it needs in an increasingly complex strategic environment.

“It will deliver a significant boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities – complementing Navy’s future surface combatant fleet and conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered submarines.”

Defence Minister Marles said today’s announcement built on the approximately $140 million the already invested in the development of the Ghost Shark platform, payloads and production facilities since entering into a collaborative contract with Anduril in 2022.

“Continued investment in this capability presents a unique opportunity for Australia to design, engineer, and manufacture sovereign uncrewed maritime warfare capabilities, with strong prospects for export opportunities.

He said he wouldn’t be specific on how man Ghost Sharks would be built under today’s contract, for security reasons, but it meant “dozens” of these units would be built in the first tranche, which would see the first production vessel delivered early next year.

Aundril representative David Goodrich said that, in just three years, Ghost Shark had gone from an idea, to a world-class capability, to a $1.7 billion program of record.

“Only three years ago, Chris Brose, Anduril’s President and Chief Strategy Officer Dr Shane Arnot and I dreamed – “what could Australia achieve if we tackled one of Defence’s hardest problems”,” Mr Goodrich said.

“Today the dream stands before us.

“It didn’t just happen by chance.

“It happened because the Royal Australian Navy, DSTG, ASCA and Anduril came together as true partners – pushing, challenging and inspiring one another to achieve the extraordinary.

“Ghost Shark, as the ministers have said, is stealthy, it is long range, it is trusted, and it gives the Royal Australian Navy the ability to see further, to stay longer, to strike smarter and harder.”

Mr Goodrich acknowledged his company’s founders and board for backing bold risks during the co-development phase of the program, and agreeing to build the company’s Australian factory long before it signed the contract, so that it could be ready to deliver to Navy early next year.

 

 

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