Anduril Australia Opens New Ghost Shark Factory
On 31 October 2025, Anduril Australia officially launched its new 7,400m² Ghost Shark manufacturing facility in Sydney. This factory will produce underwater autonomous vessels for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Opening Ceremony and Key Attendees
The facility’s inauguration was attended by Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy and Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. It coincided with the unveiling of the first series-produced Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV), delivered ahead of schedule.
“The Ghost Shark is the most high-tech, long-range autonomous underwater capability that exists in the world today….” – Minister Pat Conroy
Contract and Production Details
- Seven weeks earlier, the RAN awarded Anduril a A$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) contract for a fleet of Ghost Sharks.
- The first vessel is now prepared for in-water testing and is expected to be delivered by January 2026.
- Additional XLAUVs will be produced over the next five years.
- Anduril is currently in the low-rate initial production phase, moving toward full-scale production in 2026.
Project Significance
Minister Conroy highlighted the partnership between government, Defence, and innovative companies, saying this project “is an exemplar of how the government and Defence are partnering with innovative companies to rapidly deliver capability to the warfighter.”
Previous Development Efforts
Before this program of record, Anduril Australia co-developed and built three Ghost Shark prototypes under a three-year A$140 million (US$92 million) contract.
Author's Summary
Anduril Australia's new Sydney factory marks a major step in producing Ghost Shark autonomous underwater vehicles, accelerating delivery to the Royal Australian Navy under a multi-billion-dollar contract.