First Ghost Shark Launches at Anduril’s New Australian Factory
On 31 October 2025, Anduril Australia inaugurated its new Ghost Shark manufacturing plant in Sydney. This 7,400m² facility is dedicated to producing autonomous underwater vessels for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
The opening ceremony featured notable figures including Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy and Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. It marked a significant milestone with the unveiling of the first series-produced Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV), ahead of its delivery schedule.
“The Ghost Shark is the most high-tech, long-range autonomous underwater capability that exists in the world today….” – Minister Pat Conroy
This event followed the RAN’s substantial contract awarded to Anduril seven weeks earlier — a programme-of-record deal valued at A$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) for a fleet of these vessels. The initial unit is set to undergo in-water testing and is expected to be delivered to the Navy by January 2026, with additional units planned over the next five years.
Currently, Anduril is in the low-rate initial production phase, aiming to escalate to full-scale production by 2026.
“This project is an exemplar of how the government and Defence are partnering with innovative companies to rapidly deliver capability to the warfighter.” – Pat Conroy
Before this major contract, Anduril Australia co-developed and constructed three Ghost Shark prototypes under a separate three-year contract worth A$140 million (US$92 million).
Summary
Anduril Australia has launched its advanced Ghost Shark underwater vehicle production in Sydney, marking a key step in delivering cutting-edge naval capabilities ahead of schedule under a multi-billion-dollar government contract.