Ghost Shark: Royal Australian Navy 3D prints its way to revolutionising maritime defence

The Royal Australian Navy's ambitious project to develop three extra-large autonomous undersea vehicles (XL-AUV) within three years has resulted in a breakthrough in maritime defence technology.

The Ghost Shark program, part of a $140m co-development contract, has exceeded expectations by being delivered ahead of schedule and within budget.

By harnessing innovative technologies such as 3D printing, the project was able to speed up the usual defence procurement timelines.

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Even with 121 top engineering minds from 42 Australian companies working on the project, designing and building three XL drone submarines within three years is a remarkable feat.