Key Developments
On 19 October 2026, the Minister for Defence said Australia had advanced uncrewed undersea payload work at an exercise in San Diego, while the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation said Denmark had signed for additional Naval Strike Missiles from Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace.
Key Statistics
- A$5.8 billion: maximum Australian investment over the next 10 years to improve Royal Australian Navy operational capabilities, according to the Minister for Defence
- A$1.7 billion: Australian investment linked to the Ghost Shark uncrewed undersea program, according to the Minister for Defence
- Historical comparison, up to 28 vessels: Norway's standardized naval vessel procurement scope, according to the Minister of Defence
- Historical comparison, 4 systems: Denmark's planned ground-based air defence structure, according to the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation
- Historical comparison, 1 missile system: Denmark's first delivered system in its air defence rollout, according to the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation
Main Body
On 19 October 2026, the Minister for Defence said Australia had advanced work on payloads for uncrewed underwater vehicles during the Maritime Big Play Pacific exercise in San Diego. The same day, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation said it had signed a contract to buy additional Naval Strike Missiles from Norway's Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace.
The Australian announcement placed the undersea payload effort inside a broader plan to invest up to A$5.8 billion over the next decade in Royal Australian Navy capability, with A$1.7 billion tied to Ghost Shark, according to the Minister for Defence. The Danish procurement formed part of a Government to Government arrangement with Norway and was intended to strengthen Danish naval missile capability and Nordic defence cooperation, according to the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation.
The announcements followed related Nordic defence activity. On 9 October 2026, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation said Denmark had moved its new ground-based air defence from contracts toward military capability, with the first missile system delivered and an Air Defence Wing site being established at Tirstrup. On 8 October 2026, the Finnish Defence Forces said Nordic defence chiefs had met in Norway to discuss cooperation after Finland and Sweden joined NATO.
The capability moves mattered because they added practical tools for maritime denial, undersea operations and regional interoperability. On 19 October 2026, NATO said Allies and partners had met in Bucharest to address Russian hybrid activity, including sabotage and cyber attacks, and to improve protection of critical infrastructure. The Government Offices of Sweden also said Sweden had submitted a bill covering its contribution to NATO deterrence and defence in 2027.
