Anduril Opens Sydney Facility To Produce Ghost Shark AUVs For Australian Navy

U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries has inaugurated a new 7,400-square-meter manufacturing facility in Sydney to produce its Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles (XL-AUVs) for the Royal Australian Navy under a A$1.7 billion contract. The first Ghost Shark unit has been completed ahead of schedule and is ready for in-water testing, with delivery to the Navy planned for January 2026. The facility, which will begin full-scale production in 2026, incorporates advanced robotic manufacturing, AI-driven logistics, and a custom test tank, and involves over 40 Australian small and medium enterprises supplying critical components. The Ghost Shark XL-AUVs are designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike operations, capable of operating underwater for weeks without surfacing, and may be exported to allied nations, including the U.S., subject to Australian government approval. The project is expected to create approximately 150 skilled jobs and strengthen Australia's sovereign defense capabilities and domestic manufacturing ecosystem. Officials highlight this as a significant advancement in Australia's undersea warfare capabilities and its role as a key partner in advanced military technology.