The first prototype of Australia's Ghost Shark XL-AUV programme, which was unveiled on 18 April 2024. (Commonwealth of Australia)

The first of three prototypes to be built under Australia's Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous undersea vehicle (XL-AUV) programme has been completed, the country's Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy announced on 18 April.

The programme to develop the XL-AUV is being jointly developed and funded by a partnership between the Australian Department of Defence and Anduril Australia, a subsidiary of US defence technology company Anduril Industries.

Also working in collaboration with this partnership is a team from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

The Ghost Shark programme aims to develop a long-range AUV capability for the RAN's persistent intelligence gathering, surveillance, and remote strike requirements.

At a media event to disclose further details of the Ghost Shark programme, Conroy described the first prototype of the XL-AUV as a “combat-ready drone”.

“This drone is capable of doing intelligence-gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance and, importantly, delivering strike. So it has the ability to be fitted with weapons to deter potential aggressors”, Conroy added, without providing further details.

A keel-laying ceremony for first Fininish Navy Squadron 2020 corvette was held at Rauma shipyard on 11 April. (Rauma shipyard)

Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) laid the keel for the first Squadron 2020 Pohjanmaa-class multirole corvette on order for the Finnish Navy during a ceremony at its shipyard in Rauma on 11 April.

Announcing the milestone the same day, RMC said the yard has been making good progress on the first ship since the first steel was cut on 30 October 2023. “It has been five months since the start of construction, and the operative phase has progressed efficiently,” RMC said.

RMC is delivering four Pohjanmaa-class multirole corvettes in total for the Finnish Navy under a EUR647.6 million (USD687.8 million) design and construction contract awarded in 2019 – with the build being carried out by its subsidiary RMC Defence. The corvettes are being constructed in a new covered assembly hall built specifically for the Squadron 2020 programme, measuring 180×40×30 m and with a floor area of about 13,000 m².

Under current planning, the lead ship is expected to start sea trials in 2026, with all four ships to be delivered by 2029.

The US Navy is the contracting agent for the US Coast Guard's Polar Security Cutter. (VT Halter/Marine Technology Associates)

Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski asked US naval officials to show “robust” support for platforms and facilities for Arctic-related operations on 16 April during a Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) hearing.

In particular, Murkowski asked for greater support for the US Coast Guard's (USCG's) Polar Security Cutter (PSC) programme and the effort to create a naval port facility in Nome, Alaska.

“I've been trying to get [the] coastguard going with the Polar Security Cutter and I've been frustrated on many levels,” she said, noting the US Navy (USN) is the official contract agent for the joint programme.

She said she wanted USN commitment that it is backing the programme.

“It doesn't help that in the president's [Fiscal Year 2025] budget [request] there's no money for the Polar Security Cutter,” she said. “I'm nervous.”

The country needs “assets that will break the ice. We can't hope subs will poke a hole through that a ship will able to move through. That's not how it works”, Murkowski said.