First Ghost Shark swims off Anduril’s new Australian factory floor - Asian Military Review

Anduril Australia Opens Ghost Shark Factory in Sydney

On 31 October 2025, Anduril Australia officially launched its new 7,400m² Ghost Shark manufacturing facility in Sydney. This factory will produce advanced underwater vessels for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Facility Launch and First Ghost Shark Rollout

The opening event was attended by Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy and Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. The occasion marked the unveiling of the first series-produced Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV), ahead of its planned delivery.

“The Ghost Shark is the most high-tech, long-range autonomous underwater capability that exists in the world today….”

Contract and Production Plans

This achievement followed the RAN awarding Anduril a A$1.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) contract for a fleet of Ghost Sharks just seven weeks earlier. The first vessel is set for in-water testing and expected to be delivered by January 2026. Additional XLAUVs will be produced over the next five years.

Currently, Anduril is in the low-rate initial production phase, with plans to scale up to full production in 2026.

Government and Defence Collaboration

Minister Conroy highlighted the partnership between the government, Defence, and innovative companies, stating the project:

“is an exemplar of how the government and Defence are partnering with innovative companies to rapidly deliver capability to the warfighter.”

Prototype Development

Before this contract, Anduril Australia co-developed and built three Ghost Shark prototypes under a three-year A$140 million (US$92 million) agreement.

Author’s summary: Anduril’s new Sydney facility marks a key step in delivering advanced autonomous underwater vehicles to the Royal Australian Navy, with series production underway and full-scale output planned for 2026.

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Asian Military Review Asian Military Review — 2025-11-05

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