While U.S. stalls, Australia and Anduril move to put XL undersea vehicle into service | TechCrunch

"Anduril announced Tuesday that a fleet of its XL uncrewed undersea vehicle (XLUUV) "Ghost Shark" will begin operations in Australian waters next year under a massive AUS$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) contract. The five-year award structure is the defense-startup holy grail; it's a program of record that essentially locks in recurring revenue by becoming a line item in the country's defense budget. The contract for the platform, which provides long-range, stealthy surveillance and strike operations, covers delivery, maintenance, and continued development."

"The contrast with the United States is stark. The only XLUUV under development, Boeing's Orca, is years behind schedule. By comparison, Anduril and Australia co-developed and jointly funded Ghost Shark in 2022, each putting in $50 million. The first prototype was delivered in April 2024, twelve months ahead of schedule, and production has already begun. "At the end of the day, this comes down to having seriousness, having imagination, and having will to conceive a new idea and bring it to fruition. And that's what the Australian government has done,""

Anduril and Australia co-developed the XL uncrewed undersea vehicle Ghost Shark and secured a AUS$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) five-year contract covering delivery, maintenance, and continued development. The contract establishes a program of record and recurrent defense budget funding for the platform. Ghost Shark provides long-range, stealthy surveillance and strike capabilities for operations in Australian waters and the Indo-Pacific. Anduril and Australia each invested $50 million in 2022 to jointly fund initial development. The first prototype arrived in April 2024, twelve months ahead of schedule, and production has already begun. The program model required Anduril to commit private capital to derisk rapid acquisition. The award reflects Australian urgency to deter an expanding Chinese threat. Anduril plans to pursue additional customers beyond Australia.

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