US, UK and Australia expand defense ties with major underwater drone project

The US, UK and Australia officially announced that they are developing underwater drone technology to protect undersea cables through their military alliance known as Aukus.

The primary goal behind this project is to deploy high-tech drones that will protect seabed infrastructure, conduct surveillance, logistics and strikes. 

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For that purpose, the UK will contribute £150m toward the project while the total cost remains unstated.

British Officials have analyzed that routine life depends largely on undersea cables and pipelines. Notably, the UK which relies on roughly 60 cables has tracked a 30% spike in Russian vessels operating in its waters.

In this connection, UK Defense Secretary John Healey accused Russia of covert operations near northern waters. 

The overall pact is broadly seen as a key strategy to counter China’s rising maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific to counter undersea activities in the North Atlantic.

“Pillar One” involves building nuclear-powered attack submarines for the UK and Australia under the alliance formed in 2021. Australia is the only second nation to receive the US’s elite nuclear propulsion technology.

This major announcement comes after criticism that Aukus has been slow-moving. Earlier, the US Defense Secretary admitted that they had maintained that the pace had changed. The customs Aukus submarines will not be in suitable positions until the 2040s.

Australia's current fleet is aging and there is no plan B that will fill the gap by hosting rotating US and UK submarines later this year. 

The US Navy will begin to arrive later this year. Western Australia’s HMAS Stirling base is on track to host the rotational force by 2027.