Anduril to equip Australia's Ghost Shark submarine with loitering munition
Anduril will outfit Australia's Ghost Shark uncrewed submarine with a loitering munition, expanding the capabilities of the vessel that entered the Royal Australian Navy's program of record in 2025.
What happened
Anduril is equipping Ghost Shark, the uncrewed underwater vehicle it builds for Australia, with a loitering munition—a drone that can circle an area before an operator commits it to attack a target. Ghost Shark is a bus-sized vessel designed to remain underwater for weeks. The move adds offensive payload capacity to a platform that has been in development with Australia for several years and entered the Royal Australian Navy's formal program of record in September 2025.
Background
Ghost Shark is the Australian variant of Anduril's Dive-XL uncrewed submarine. Anduril and Australia co-developed the platform, and the Australian government is now procuring it as a formal program for the Royal Australian Navy. Anduril opened a production facility in Sydney in October 2025 to build Ghost Shark locally. Loitering munitions are a category of weapon that can hover over an area and await operator direction before striking, offering flexibility in targeting compared to cruise missiles or other pre-programmed weapons.
What to watch next
Watch for official Australian defense announcements on Ghost Shark's operational timeline and payload integration schedule. The Royal Australian Navy may disclose details about how many units will be equipped with loitering munitions and when they will enter service.
Sources
- Original report: Anduril To Equip Australia’s Ghost Shark Sub With Loitering Munition (Aviation Week, Oct 19, 2026) Defense media
Written by Anduril News with AI assistance from the original report and other coverage, in plain English. It can contain mistakes; check the original for anything important. How we write these.
