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Australia Commits $1.1 Billion to Anduril “Ghost Shark” Undersea Drone Fleet

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Australia will invest A$1.7 billion ($1.1 billion) in a fleet of Ghost Shark autonomous undersea vehicles, co-developed with U.S. defense startup Anduril Industries, to strengthen surveillance and long-range strike capabilities, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced Wednesday.

Key Details

  • Purpose: Ghost Sharks will complement Australia’s surface fleet and submarines, offering enhanced intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike capabilities.

  • Timeline: First drones to enter service in January 2026.

  • Production: Dozens to be built at Anduril’s Australian facility in New South Wales, with export opportunities for allies.

  • Deployment: Can operate from bases, navy vessels, or be air-transported for forward deployment.

Strategic Context

  • Part of Australia’s efforts to counter China’s growing naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.

  • Complements AUKUS plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the U.S. and UK in the 2030s.

  • Ghost Shark’s autonomous design addresses Australia’s challenge of defending its vast 3 million sq km northern ocean zone with a relatively small population.

Defence & Industry Perspectives

  • Navy Chief Mark Hammond: Ghost Shark enhances operations in the contested and opaque undersea battlespace.

  • Minister Pat Conroy: Highlights long-range strike capacity and export potential.

  • Anduril Industries: Describes the project as AI-powered coastal defense with rapid development achieved in just three years due to shared risk with the Royal Australian Navy.

Budget & Oversight

  • Funded within existing defence budget, despite U.S. President Donald Trump urging higher Australian defense spending under the AUKUS framework.

  • The contract covers delivery, maintenance, and ongoing development over the next five years.

Anduril Industries Valued at $30.5 Billion After $2.5 Billion Fundraising Round

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Defense tech startup Anduril Industries has more than doubled its valuation to $30.5 billion in a fresh funding round where it raised $2.5 billion, the company announced Thursday. This latest capital injection follows last year’s raise of $1.5 billion, which valued the company at $14 billion.

The new funding round was led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, which contributed $1 billion. Other existing investors also increased their stakes as part of the Series G financing.

Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, Anduril specializes in autonomous defense technologies such as sensors and drones. The company has risen rapidly amid growing demand for affordable, automated defense solutions.

Anduril recently formed a strategic partnership with Palantir Technologies to create a consortium aiming to jointly pursue government contracts, aligned with Pentagon efforts to reduce defense spending.

Founders Fund has been a key backer since Anduril’s inception, with co-founder Trae Stephens also serving as a partner at the investment firm.

Founders Fund in Talks to Back Anduril Industries at $28 Billion Valuation

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AI-powered defense startup Anduril Industries is negotiating a new funding round that could elevate the company’s valuation to $28 billion, sources revealed on Friday. Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund is expected to lead this funding round, which could raise as much as $2.5 billion. This follows Anduril’s last funding round in August, where the company raised $1.5 billion at a $14 billion valuation.

Founders Fund has supported Anduril since its inception in 2017, and one of Anduril’s co-founders, Trae Stephens, is a partner at the firm. Despite the significant backing, Founders Fund declined to comment on the details of the latest round, which was first reported by CNBC.

Based in Costa Mesa, California, Anduril develops autonomous weapons and sensors, including drones, for military applications. The company has also announced plans to build a large-scale weapons manufacturing facility in Ohio to enhance its production capabilities. Additionally, Anduril launched the Lattice for Mission Autonomy in 2023, an AI-driven software for coordinating autonomous systems in human-supervised missions.

Anduril’s founder, Palmer Luckey, is well-known for creating Oculus VR, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $2.3 billion. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who previously worked as a venture capitalist, has invested in Anduril and holds stakes in the company. Thiel, a long-time Republican donor and co-founder of Palantir Technologies, has backed multiple conservative political figures, including President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Vance’s 2022 Senate bid.