Japan Joins AUKUS Autonomous Underwater Communications Exercise

Japan has joined Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States in a multinational exercise focused on autonomous underwater communications under the AUKUS Pillar II framework.

The activity was part of the “Maritime Big Play” series held during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.

This marks the first time Japan has participated in the AUKUS-led autonomous underwater communications testing, which aims to improve coordination between underwater uncrewed vehicles and conventional naval platforms.

The four nations worked together to enhance their ability to send and receive acoustic signals underwater, enabling remote tasking of autonomous underwater systems. As part of the exercise, mission control of a United Kingdom extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle was transferred remotely from Australia back to the U.K., despite the system being physically located in Britain.

According to Australia’s First Assistant Secretary for AUKUS Advanced Capabilities, Mr. Stephen Moore, the series is helping AUKUS partners strengthen decision-making advantages at sea. “Maritime Big Play tangibly contributes to AUKUS’ partners interoperability in the maritime domain, and supports collective deterrence and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.