Remote-controlled underwater vehicle follows commands from a distant location, 16,000 kilometers away
Advancements in Unmanned Underwater Vehicles: AUKUS Pillar II and the Excalibur XLUUV
In a significant stride towards the future of undersea warfare, the AUKUS Pillar II program has integrated the Excalibur XLUUV, the largest unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) ever operated by the British fleet, into its operations. This groundbreaking development is part of the ongoing advancement of defense technologies, with a focus on autonomous and robotic defense systems beyond nuclear submarine capabilities.
Historic Trials and Global Control
During the historic trial in August 2025, the UK successfully conducted a remote operation of the Excalibur XLUUV from Australia while it was submerged in UK waters, over 10,000 miles away. This marked a world first for globally distributed control of an autonomous underwater vehicle under the AUKUS Pillar II framework.
The Excalibur demonstrated over 30 days of submerged endurance, an operational range exceeding 3,000 nautical miles depending on the mission, and capabilities including long-range reconnaissance, seabed warfare, underwater surveillance, electronic warfare, and maritime domain awareness. Its modular payload bay allows rapid reconfiguration for diverse mission profiles.
Future Developments and Collaboration
The AUKUS Pillar II program aims to further develop and operationalize autonomous underwater systems as frontline tools for intelligence gathering, seabed surveillance, protection of maritime infrastructure, and joint underwater warfare in contested environments. The continued evolution of the program will likely integrate improved AI autonomy, enhanced communications security for remote operations thousands of miles away, expanded mission payloads, and increased cooperation among the US, UK, Australia, and partners such as Japan for maritime domain dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.
Other Developments in UUV Technology
The US is also developing the Orca XLUUV project for unmanned underwater vehicles, while Australia is working on the Ghost Shark drone. Both these platforms, like Excalibur, are expected to undergo extensive testing and trials before being fully integrated into operational fleets.
The Orca XLUUV and Ghost Shark drone, similar to Excalibur, can significantly expand the capabilities of fleets, particularly in the areas of prolonged surveillance and operations in remote regions. For now, these platforms remain primarily valuable research laboratories, not combat weapons.
Collaboration and Interoperability
The experiment involving Excalibur took place during the joint Talisman Sabre exercises in July, with Australia, Japan, and the US participating. For the first time in practice, full interchangeability of UUVs from these countries was demonstrated during the Maritime Big Play operation. Japan announced its joint work in the field of underwater acoustic communication in 2024, further enhancing cooperation among the partners.
The Excalibur XLUUV: Key Specifications
Excalibur, 12 meters long, 2 meters wide, and weighing around 21 tons, is a testament to the UK's advancements in UUV technology. Its development and testing are ongoing, with its full potential and capabilities yet to be realized. For now, Excalibur remains primarily a valuable research laboratory, not a combat weapon.
In summary, the integration of the Excalibur XLUUV into the AUKUS Pillar II program represents a major leap in undersea robotic warfare capabilities, paving the way for expanded autonomous submarine operations supporting allied maritime security and deterrence efforts in the coming years.
[1] AUKUS Pillar II: Unmanned Underwater Vehicles and the Future of Defense Technologies. (2025). The Journal of Defense Technology.
[2] The Excalibur XLUUV: A UK Innovation in Autonomous Submarine Drones. (2025). The British Navy Review.
[4] The Global Control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles: The First Successful Trial Under AUKUS Pillar II. (2025). The Defense Post.
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