Key Developments
On 27 October 2026, HM Government said the UK would lead 3 AUKUS undersea sensor payloads for uncrewed underwater vehicles after testing in San Diego, with deployment planned by 2027.
Key Statistics
- 3 undersea sensor payloads will be led by the UK under AUKUS, according to HM Government.
- £298 billion in UK defence spending was cited by HM Government alongside the undersea sensor programme.
- £3 million in innovation funding was cited by HM Government for the capability effort.
- Historical: up to A$5.8 billion over 10 years was identified by the Minister for Defence for Australian undersea warfare capability.
- Historical: A$1.7 billion was identified by the Minister for Defence for Ghost Shark investment.
Main Body
On 27 October 2026, HM Government announced that the UK would lead work on 3 advanced undersea sensor payloads for uncrewed underwater vehicles under the AUKUS security partnership. HM Government said the announcement followed testing during the Maritime Big Play exercise in San Diego and that deployment was expected by 2027.
According to HM Government, the testing focused on improving integration across AUKUS fleets and supporting surveillance against undersea threats. HM Government linked the work to £3 million in innovation funding and cited £298 billion in UK defence spending.
The programme followed related Australian activity. On 19 October 2026, the Minister for Defence said the Albanese Government was developing and integrating payloads for uncrewed underwater vehicles that were shown during Maritime Big Play Pacific in San Diego. The Minister for Defence said the effort sat within up to A$5.8 billion in planned undersea warfare investment over the next decade, including A$1.7 billion for Ghost Shark.
The announcement mattered for naval security because HM Government connected the payloads to improved threat detection in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. In practical terms, HM Government presented the work as a step toward common AUKUS undersea capabilities, while the Minister for Defence framed Australia’s parallel investment as support for Royal Australian Navy operations and domestic defence industry capacity.
