Australia and U.S. Test How Underwater Drones Could Keep Warships Moving Through Mined Sea Lanes
Australia, New Zealand and the United States completed Exercise Dugong 2026 off Australia’s eastern coast, integrating eight autonomous underwater vehicles with conventional mine-countermeasure forces. The Royal Australian Navy-led activity involved more than 350 personnel, surface vessels and clearance-diving teams around Jervis Bay, with HMAS Yarra and New Zealand’s HMNZS Matataua unit participating. Training combined mine detection, underwater reconnaissance, explosive-ordnance disposal and military geospatial support to improve coordination between autonomous systems and specialist personnel. The exercise evaluated allied procedures for identifying and clearing underwater hazards, while individual autonomous-vehicle models, sensor configurations and measured clearance performance were not disclosed.