Robotic underwater drones to deliver deep-sea defense for Australia

Australia is developing a new underwater surveillance network to enhance monitoring and defense of its northern maritime approaches, focusing on strategic chokepoints vital for trade and security. This initiative is a collaboration between Thales Australia, Austal, and C2 Robotics, integrating autonomous underwater drones, advanced sonar sensors, and communication technologies into a persistent, mobile underwater network. Central to the system is C2 Robotics’ “Speartooth” drone, a large, long-endurance uncrewed underwater vehicle capable of sitting quietly on the seabed and surfacing to transmit data upon detecting vessels. Powered by a hybrid lithium-ion/diesel-electric system, the Speartooth can travel up to 2,000 km and operate at depths of 2,000 meters, carrying various mission modules including sensors and potentially munitions. Complementing the drone are Thales’ “BlueSentry” and “BlueSeeker” sonar systems, which detect and track underwater vessels by capturing acoustic signatures, and Austal’s Evolved