Australia, US test undersea unmanned and communications capabilities

Australian Defence Vessel Guidance arrives at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii to conduct AUKUS Pillar 2 undersea capability trials. (Commonwealth of Australia)

Australia and the United States jointly tested unmanned maritime vehicles and associated technologies, including acoustic communications systems, during Exercise ‘Rim of the Pacific' (‘RIMPAC') 2026, held from 24 June to 31 July in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

The activities formed part of efforts to advance joint undersea warfare capabilities under Pillar 2 of the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the US, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said on 13 August.

The DoD said personnel from its Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and the United States Navy (USN), together demonstrated unmanned maritime vehicle operations from the Australian Defence Vessel Guidance .

According to the DoD, the 107 m long Guidance supports deployment and testing of robotic and autonomous undersea platforms and undersea surveillance systems. The vessel has a 22 m beam and a displacement of 7,400 tonnes.

Australian systems trialled during the exercise included a Kongsberg Hugin Superior unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), a Schilling work-class remotely operated vehicle (ROV), a Seasats Lightfish unmanned surface vehicle (USV), and the Rock Lobster deployable underwater acoustic communication relay system.

The DoD said that Hugin Superior and the Schilling ROV were deployed together to conduct a complex undersea navigation and search mission within the exercise area. The activity demonstrated how AUKUS partners are improving their ability to detect, deter and respond to maritime threats.