Over 200 defence personnel, scientists, and industry participants from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States came together on Australia's east coast to test cutting-edge autonomous capabilities as part of an AUKUS Pillar II Maritime Big Play exercise.
During the Australian-led Maritime Big Play exercise, AUKUS military operators and technical experts tested and employed approximately 30 next-generation capabilities in a tactical setting, working with industry in real-time to adapt and challenge their capabilities in demanding conditions.
Australian-developed capabilities were at the forefront of the exercise, with Innovaero's OWL-B one-way-attack munition used to strike a target at range, and C2 Robotics' Speartooth large uncrewed underwater vehicle used as a test bed to trial and demonstrate world-leading, novel payload configurations.
The Australian AUKUS Pillar II Electronic Warfare Innovation Challenge winners, delivered through Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), also participated, with Advanced Design Technology's GRASSHOPPER payload, and PentenAmio's Next Generation Electronic Deception capability tested during the exercise. Commencing in late 2025, this exercise built upon successful Maritime Big Play experimentation conducted in August and September 2025, with Japan participating in the August activity.
Maritime Big Play exercises help AUKUS partners develop common, open standards to speed up adoption of new technology and improve cooperation on complex missions. Australia is committed to working closely with our partners to improve joint capability to communicate with and use autonomous systems together to deter threats in the Indo-Pacific.
Quotes attributable to Dr Kate Cameron, acting First Assistant Secretary AUKUS Advanced Capabilities:
"Maritime Big Play is integrating autonomous systems across our trilateral forces. That's how we strengthen deterrence - with practical capability we can employ together.
"Maritime Big Play is transforming innovation into tangible capability advantage for the Australian Defence Force and the AUKUS partnership - this is an example of AUKUS Pillar II in action."
Quotes attributable to Head, Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator, MAJGEN Hugh Meggitt:
"The opportunity for our AUKUS Innovation Challenge partners ADT and PentenAmio to demonstrate their capability in Maritime Big Play has been incredibly valuable.
"Industry access to real‑world training environments is essential-they provide a platform for us to rigorously test, validate and strengthen our capability in conditions that mirror operational requirements. It ensures the technologies we deliver are proven, resilient and ready to support Defence when and where it counts."
