Anduril Australia set to deliver first Ghost Shark AUV

The Ghost Shark AUV is capable of ISR and strike missions. (Australian Department of Defence)

Anduril is on course to deliver the first Ghost Shark autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in January 2026, the company's Australian CEO David Goodrich has told Janes , with the company seeing significant export potential for the platform in the years ahead.

Based on Anduril's Dive-XL Extra Large AUV (XL-AUV), Ghost Shark was originally developed under a three-year, USD100 million co-funded research collaboration contract signed by Anduril Australia, the RAN, and the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), a specialised research and development (R&D) agency within the Australian Department of Defence (DoD).

This contract led to the delivery of three Ghost Shark prototype XL-AUVs in 2025. Anduril is now working on a AUD1.7 billion (USD1.1 billion) programme of record with the RAN to produce a fleet of the vessels, Goodrich said, adding that production has commenced. An Anduril Ghost Shark manufacturing facility was officially opened in Sydney in October.

The first vehicle off the production line is on track for delivery in January 2026, he said, “and then many more vehicles after that”. Subject to Australian government approval, Anduril also sees potential “to export Ghost Shark to our allies”, he added.

Mission set

The Ghost Shark AUV is capable of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike missions, said Goodrich, although he noted the actual mission set will be determined by the RAN.

“We recognised the need for a nation like Australia – surrounded by ocean – for a solution that could be produced at [a] lower cost and scale to mass production,” Goodrich told Janes