Australia unveils secretive Ghost Shark underwater drone payloads

Australia has disclosed three payloads for Anduril's Ghost Shark autonomous underwater vehicle: naval mines, ALTIUS-series aerial drones (the precise variant has not been officially identified) and logistics caches. Revealed at Anduril's Sydney factory on October 19, the configurations include capacity for 12 mines and the release of ALTIUS swarms for reconnaissance or strike missions. Canberra is investing A$1.7 billion in a fleet described as dozens of vehicles, with the first handed over to the Royal Australian Navy earlier in 2026. The modular payload approach supports covert supply delivery and sea-denial missions, while additional undersea effectors remain under development.