New sea drones signal to ‘get out’ of Australia’s ocean

Australia wants an expanded fleet of Bluebottle marine drones to deliver to the country’s opponents the same message its jellyfish name sends to swimmers: get out of the ocean.

Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy announced a $176 million contract with Australian company Ocius Technology to deliver 40 new unmanned aerial vehicles to the navy.

“When you see a blue jellyfish on one of our beaches, it’s a signal to get out of the ocean. I want potential enemies to understand that when they see one of these, it’s a signal to get out of our ocean,” he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

“This is a really important message about the way we equip the Australian Defense Force to help defend and deter Australia.”

This increase will increase the number of maritime drones to at least 55, providing the country with one of the world’s largest fleets of uncrewed surface ships.

Unmanned ships can stay at sea for long periods of time; The longest continuous deployment period is more than 180 days.

Since the Bluebottle drone itself runs on renewable energy, it does not need fuel.

Designed to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, these vehicles can deploy armed aircraft and are intended to be used in conjunction with other capabilities such as submarines.

Bluebottles can be deployed directly from ships and boat ramps to provide flexible options for bases and remote islands.

Mr Conroy said the “formidable asset” was already in use in northwestern Australia as part of Operation Resolve, which protects the country’s borders.

“With this world-leading technology, we can increase surveillance of Australia’s northern approaches and respond to increasing maritime threats,” he said.

The fleet can serve as a network for underwater defense assets and help provide a communications gateway for submarines.