The AUKUS partners — Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, secured fresh momentum at the Shangri‑La Dialogue after unveiling plans to boost undersea intelligence and protect critical seabed infrastructure. Officials said the first Pillar 2 signature project will deploy Extra Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs), with operational deployments expected from 2027.
The pact, formed in 2021 to counter growing Chinese influence in the Indo‑Pacific, has two pillars: Pillar 1 supports Australia’s acquisition of nuclear‑powered submarines with US and UK assistance; Pillar 2 focuses on joint advanced capabilities ranging from hypersonics to quantum and artificial intelligence. Concerns had grown over slow progress on Pillar 2, but military leaders described the XLUUV announcement as tangible proof of forward motion.
UK Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said XLUUVs offer “persistent stare” surveillance because they can remain submerged for long periods without crew, providing assurance to partners. Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles stressed immediate risks to undersea infrastructure, noting that roughly 99% of Australia’s internet traffic flows through just 15 subsea cables and warning of their vulnerability to physical disruption.
Following a trilateral meeting in Singapore, leaders reaffirmed Pillar 1 remains on track and urged faster delivery of Pillar 2 capabilities. The UK House of Commons Defence Committee had warned in April that Pillar 2 risked losing credibility without accelerated prioritisation and delivery. At the forum, US officials emphasized that alliances require shared contribution, with calls for partners to bear greater responsibility for collective defence.