The UK has brought uncrewed surface vessels, underwater gliders, drones and subsea vehicles to Maritime Big Play. Its contribution focuses on tracking and surveillance using crewed and autonomous systems together.
The event aims to establish how mature robotics and autonomous equipment can be integrated into AUKUS operations. Sharing data, coordinating assets and operating across national forces are central to the demonstrations.
“Maritime Big Play demonstrates the real, tangible progress we are making with our AUKUS partners to deliver cutting-edge autonomous capability at sea,” said Second Sea Lord Vice-Admiral Paul Beattie. “This is about more than technology on display, it’s about proving that our forces can operate together seamlessly, sharing data and combining assets to stay ahead of future threats.”
Anti-submarine warfare is one of four areas under examination, alongside lethality, contested resupply, and subsea and seabed warfare. The activities will explore how systems operate as integrated forces and sustain logistics in challenging environments.
The event builds on three years of trilateral collaboration on shared command-and-control solutions. That work also includes secure “stratosphere to seabed” communications that allow the partners to coordinate operations at sea.
Beattie is attending alongside Sir Stephen Lovegrove, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on AUKUS. Defence personnel, government officials and other stakeholders are observing demonstrations of equipment being developed and deployed by the three countries.
Maritime Big Play follows the firing of a US torpedo from the Royal Navy’s XV Excalibur under AUKUS Pillar 2. It also follows a preliminary market engagement notice supporting development of the Type 93 capability.
Type 93 envisages extra-large uncrewed underwater vessels working alongside crewed hunter-killer submarines to seek and destroy enemy submarines. These efforts sit within AUKUS Pillar 2’s focus on integrating autonomous systems and strengthening the partners’ joint fighting capability.
