New Aukus drone tech to protect critical undersea cables as Marles warns: ‘seabed is a battlefield’

At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles declared the "seabed is a battlefield" due to increasing attacks on critical undersea cables. In response, the US, UK, and Australia announced a new Aukus project to develop underwater drone technology for cable protection. Marles highlighted the vulnerability of these cables, which are essential for modern infrastructure, and urged China to be more transparent about its maritime operations. Additionally, Australia will purchase three secondhand Virginia-class submarines from the US under the Aukus agreement to streamline logistics and costs. The minister also addressed concerns about "shadow-fleet" vessels being used for illicit activities beyond cable threats.

The United States, United Kingdom, and Australia will collaborate to develop underwater drone technology under their Aukus military pact. This initiative, announced at a security summit in Singapore, aims to protect undersea cables and enhance naval defense capabilities. The uncrewed undersea vehicle (UUV) technology is anticipated to be ready by next year, with the UK contributing £150 million. This project is the first signature initiative under Aukus's Pillar Two, focusing on advanced capabilities like undersea robotics. The UUVs will be equipped with advanced payloads and systems for various operations including protecting seabed infrastructure, conducting strikes, surveillance, reconnaissance, and logistics. The Aukus pact, established in 2021, is intended to counter China's growing maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific.

Seventeen nations have launched a pact to collaborate on defense strategies for critical undersea cables and other marine infrastructure. The initiative, named the Guiding Principles for Underwater Infrastructure Defence Exchanges (Guide), was announced at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday. Defense ministers and representatives from the participating countries attended the launch, which aims to foster collaboration to enhance security. The 17 nations endorsing the Guide include Singapore, Australia, France, the United Kingdom, and several others. Analysts suggest that the absence of major powers like the US and China from this pact could potentially weaken its effectiveness.