image source, Reuters
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- Author, Tessa Wang
- Role, Asia Digital Reporter
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Reading time: 4 minutes
The US, UK and Australia have said they will develop underwater drone technology to strengthen undersea cable protection and defence, under their military alliance known as Aqus.
The unmanned underwater vehicle technology is expected to be ready by next year.
While the total cost of the project was not disclosed, UK Defense Secretary John Healy said his country would contribute 150 million pounds ($201 million).
The announcement by the defense ministers of the three countries came at a security conference in Singapore, where the slow progress of the Akus projects has been criticized.
Acknowledging this criticism, John Healy said, “At Aqus for too long we have over-talked and under-delivered.” “That has changed now under our three governments,” he added.
The Akkus defense agreement, which began in 2021, ensured that the three countries would build nuclear submarines and share military expertise.
This is seen as a move against China given China’s growing maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific region and rising tensions in disputed areas such as the South China Sea.
image source, AFP via Getty Images
The UUV technology is the first major project under Aquus’ ‘Pillar Two’, where partner nations are working together on “advanced capabilities” in areas such as long-range hypersonic missiles, undersea robotics and AI.
The new project will develop “sophisticated payloads and support systems” for UUVs that can protect seabed infrastructure, conduct strikes and conduct surveillance, reconnaissance and logistics operations, a joint statement said.
Healy also said sensors and weapons systems will be developed for the UUVs, which will “provide our forces with rapidly advanced combat technology.”
It will help them “confront threats like our undersea cables and pipelines, on which our daily lives depend so much.”
The effort will strengthen deterrence in the Pacific, Atlantic and High North waters, he added.
The announcement came a month after Healy alleged that Russia was carrying out a covert operation on cables and pipelines in the UK’s northern waters. Moscow, however, denied the allegations.
In December, the UK and Norway signed an agreement to locate Russian submarines to protect undersea cables in the North Atlantic.
The UK is connected to around 60 undersea cables, which British officials say are under increasing threat from Moscow. The presence of Russian ships in UK waters has increased by 30% in the past few years.
On the other hand, Chinese vessels are suspected of damaging submarine cables in waters around Taiwan and in Swedish territory.
There have also been multiple reports of damage only in the Baltic Sea.
On Saturday, the three defense ministers did not respond to questions from the BBC about whether the UUV technology project was intended to counter Russian and Chinese undersea activities.
They did not give any answer to the question whether the progress of Akus projects is very slow or not.
image source, Anadolu via Getty Images
Under ‘Pillar One’ of the Defense Treaty, the UK and Australia will develop nuclear-powered attack submarines for use by their navies.
For Australia in particular, this deal is a major step forward in terms of their military capabilities.
Australia will become the second country after the UK to receive Washington’s specialized nuclear propulsion technology, which the UK began acquiring decades ago.
But there are growing questions within the country about whether or not Australia’s biggest defense project can be completed in time to replace its aging submarines.
Akus submarines are scheduled to be ready in the 2040s. In the meantime, the US and UK will rotate their existing nuclear-powered submarines through Australia, and Australia will buy second-hand nuclear submarines from the US in the 2030s.
Days before arriving in Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles responded to the criticism by saying the Akus submarine project must go ahead because there is no “Plan B”.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that plans to rotate US and UK nuclear-powered submarines through Australia were “on track”, and that the first US Navy personnel were due to arrive later this year.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said the HMAS Stirling shipyard in Western Australia would be ready to receive the submarine force by the end of 2027 and that work was progressing “at a rapid pace” to establish a construction yard in South Australia where the Akus submarines would be built.
