The trilateral security pact between the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, known as AUKUS, has been expanded to include advanced underwater drone technology. The agreement, signed in Washington on Monday, formalises collaboration on autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) designed for surveillance, mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare. For the Royal Navy, the deal represents a decisive strategic advantage.
Britain’s maritime forces, already the second-largest in NATO, will now integrate cutting-edge drone capabilities developed jointly with US and Australian partners. The new programme, designated Project Sea Wolf, will see the deployment of dozens of unmanned vessels across the Indo-Pacific by 2027. Defence analysts note that the pact effectively locks out rival Chinese manufacturers from critical supply chains.
China’s foreign ministry responded by accusing AUKUS of ‘stoking arms races’. But officials in London argue that the underwater drones are purely defensive, designed to protect shipping lanes and deter aggression. The agreement also includes provisions for shared training and data standards.
A senior Whitehall source described the deal as ‘a cornerstone of Britain’s tilt to the Indo-Pacific’. The Royal Navy’s existing submarine fleet, including the Astute class, will be retrofitted to command these drones remotely. Meanwhile, Australia will host a new joint testing facility in Western Australia.
The pact deepens the already close defence relationship between the three nations, which together account for over 60 per cent of global naval expenditure. Critics question the cost, with initial projections exceeding £10 billion over the next decade. Nonetheless, the strategic calculus is clear: control of the undersea battlespace is now non-negotiable for any power with global ambitions.
The AUKUS underwater drone pact is not merely a technological leap. It is a statement of intent.
