Australia's forthcoming Aukus nuclear-powered submarines have been called the'apex predator of the oceans'. Australia's forthcoming Aukus nuclear-powered submarines have been called the'apex predator of the oceans'. Quantum sensing, satellite tracking and AI are part of an accelerating arms race in detection that should prompt a re-evaluation of Australia's defence strategy Military history is littered with the corpses of apex predators. All once possessed unassailable power - then were undermined, in some cases wiped out, by the march of new technology. " Speed and stealth and firepower," the head of the Australian Submarine Agency, Jonathan Mead, told the Guardian two years ago of Australia's forthcoming fleet of nuclear submarines.

Australia to spend $1.1bn on underwater'Ghost Shark' attack drones Australia will spend 1.7 billion Australian dollars ($1.1bn) on a fleet of extra-large underwater "Ghost Shark" attack drones, in a move that officials said would supplement the country's plans to acquire sophisticated nuclear-powered submarines. Australian Minister for Defence Richard Marles said on Wednesday that the Ghost Shark autonomous underwater vehicles will complement Australia's naval surface fleet and submarines to provide "a more capable and more lethal navy". "We have consistently articulated that Australia faces the most complex, in some ways, the most threatening, strategic landscape that we have had since the end of the second world war," Marles said. The government said it signed the $1.1bn, five-year contract with Anduril Australia to build, maintain and develop the uncrewed undersea vehicles in Australia. "This is the highest tech capability in the world," Marles said, adding that the drones would have a "very long range" as well as stealth capabilities.