Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Tech Style & Beauty Kitchen & Dining Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsWorldU.S., U.K. and Australia deepen subsea security pact with dronesThe agreements include investing in the development of systems and weapons for uncrewed undersea vehicles You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.The Aukus alliance members -- Australia, U.K. and the U.S. -- announced Saturday that they will develop advanced underwater drone systems and further deepen their maritime relationship that will see American submarines in Australia by next year. This photo from the Australia, Department of Defence shows an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. Photo by Handout /Getty ImagesThe Aukus alliance members — Australia, U.K. and the U.S. — announced Saturday that they will develop advanced underwater drone systems and further deepen their maritime relationship that will see American submarines in Australia by next year.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe agreements, announced in Singapore by the countries’ defence ministers, include investing in the development of systems and weapons for uncrewed undersea vehicles.The initiative “will deliver a suite of highly adaptable multi-mission UUV payloads designed to support undersea operations and maintain our collective advantage in the maritime domain,” said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againHe didn’t detail the systems, which are generically termed “payload and effectors.”“This will rapidly give our forces the very most advanced battlefield technologies, as together we produce a range of cutting-edge sensors and weapons systems” for undersea drones, said U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey.Hegseth and Healey, along with Australia’s Richard Marles, also said Saturday that U.S. submarine rotations are on track to begin by the end of next year at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.The three nations signed the defence accord in 2021, under President Donald Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden. After a review by the Trump administration, the US reiterated its commitment to the project after a review last year.Under Pillar One of Aukus, the U.S. is to sell Australia three of its nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines, and all three nations will work to design and build new subs over the coming decades. Pillar Two is related to sharing advanced technology, such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence and advanced weaponry.The new agreement announced Saturday included a plan to “streamline” the Australian sub-purchase plans by limiting them to in-service ships, rather than the earlier planned mix of used and new.An Australian government official said the decision will simplify training, maintenance and supply chains if the U.S. subs are all the same variant. Canberra also still has the option to purchase up to two additional subs if needed, similar to the original agreement.—With assistance from Gerry Doyle.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.