The “Okos” alliance announces the launch of a project to develop unmanned submarines

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Saturday that the United States, Australia and Britain are working together to develop a new generation of unmanned submarines, within the framework of enhancing the joint military capabilities of the tripartite “Ocus” military and security alliance.
Hegseth said during a press conference in Singapore: “We are working to accelerate the provision of advanced capabilities to our military forces, and today we are pleased to announce the first major project within the second pillar of the OKOS alliance, which focuses on deploying unmanned underwater submarines,” according to Politico.
He added: “This distinguished project will provide a group of multi-mission unmanned submarines that are highly adaptable and designed to support underwater operations and maintain our collective maritime superiority.”
For his part, British Defense Secretary John Healey said: “This (project) will provide our forces with the latest battlefield technologies at a rapid pace, as we together produce a range of advanced sensors and weapons systems for unmanned submarines.”
Healy added that the unmanned submarines will enhance the three countries’ ability to respond to threats such as those targeting underwater cables and pipelines.
The “Ocus” alliance is a tripartite security partnership established in 2021 between Australia, Britain, and the United States, and aims to confront the growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region by enhancing the military capabilities of the three countries. China described this agreement as dangerous, warning that it might lead to an arms race in the region.
The partnership is based on two main axes: The first is to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines and enhance the joint naval presence, while the second axis focuses on developing advanced technologies that include artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cyber capabilities, and advanced defense and naval systems.
The agreement also includes Australia obtaining American nuclear submarines, developing a new class of submarines under the name “Ocus,” and establishing facilities to host American and British submarines on Australian soil.
In mid-2025, London and Canberra sought to reassure Washington of their commitment to the partnership after the US War Department ordered a review of the agreement, raising concerns that the United States might back away from its commitments. However, those fears subsided last October after US President Donald Trump renewed his support for the coalition.
Hegseth stressed that the United States remains fully committed to the OKOS partnership, noting that the review conducted by Washington strengthened the alliance and accelerated efforts to enhance the joint presence of submarines in the Pacific region.
For his part, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Richard Marles, said that the project will give the military forces of the three countries tangible operational capabilities that will be delivered starting next year, expressing his satisfaction at reaching the agreement.
As for British Defense Minister John Healey, he confirmed that the alliance had moved from the stage of talk to the stage of implementation, saying: “We talked a lot about OCOS, and achieved little for a long time, but that has changed now under our three governments, and as President Trump said, the alliance is moving forward at full speed today.”
Healy was speaking on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, alongside Hegseth and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles. “We have talked a lot about Okos for a very long time, and we have achieved little,” he said.