Anduril Australia Launches Ghost Shark Production Facility
On 31 October 2025, Anduril Australia inaugurated its new manufacturing plant in Sydney dedicated to producing the Ghost Shark underwater vehicles for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The state-of-the-art 7,400m² factory marks a significant step in domestic defense manufacturing.
First Series-Produced Ghost Shark Delivered
The opening ceremony was attended by Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy and Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. It coincided with the rollout of the first series-produced Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV), ahead of the planned delivery date.
"The Ghost Shark is the most high-tech, long-range autonomous underwater capability that exists in the world today…." — Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry
Contract and Production Details
- Seven weeks prior, RAN awarded Anduril an A$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) contract for a fleet of Ghost Sharks.
- The first vessel is ready for in-water testing and expected to be delivered by January 2026.
- Additional XLAUVs will be produced over the next five years.
- Currently in low-rate initial production, with full-scale manufacturing set for 2026.
Government and Defence Collaboration
Conroy praised the program, emphasizing the strong partnership between government, Defence, and innovative companies.
"This project is an exemplar of how the government and Defence are partnering with innovative companies to rapidly deliver capability to the warfighter." — Pat Conroy
Previous Development Phase
Before this program of record, Anduril Australia co-developed and built three Ghost Shark prototypes under a three-year contract worth A$140 million (US$92 million).
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