# Australia Orders 40 Bluebottle USVs

In March 2026, Australia ordered 40 Bluebottle unmanned surface vessels for the Royal Australian Navy under Project Sea 1200, with a stated value of **A$176 million (US$124 million)**. The vessels are being fitted with Thales Australia’s BlueSentry towed sonar for submarine detection, expanding Australia’s uncrewed maritime and undersea-warfare capabilities. No open solicitation or procurement contact is identified.

- Ocius Technology is the USV manufacturer and supplier; Thales Australia supplies the BlueSentry sonar. The work points to potential industry activity in sovereign sonar production, payload integration, and fleet sustainment.
- Contractors can use the order as a market signal for Australian maritime defense and related export activity, but it is not itself an open bidding opportunity.
- The extracted entities also identify sonar production for six Hunter-class frigates and a separate New Zealand Bluebottle acquisition, indicating related regional demand for maritime systems.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** November 03, 2026

### Government Entities
- Royal Australian Navy (RAN)
- Australian Border Force (ABF)
- Border Command
- Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN)

### Vendors
- Ocius Technology (Bluebottle USV manufacturer and supplier)
- Thales Australia (BlueSentry sonar manufacturer and towed-array sonar producer)
- BAE Systems Australia (Hunter-class frigate builder)

### Key Quotes
> In terms of our platforms themselves, of course they must continue to evolve, and the evolution of modular payloads that we can fit to uncrewed vessels like the Ghost Shark, like the Speartooth, like the Bluebottle creates enormous flexibility for us and allows us to adapt these systems to future missions and future requirements.
> — Matt Buckley, Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral

> I’ve said before that I want potential adversaries to understand that, when they see an Ocius Bluebottle USV, it’s a signal to get out of our ocean.
> — Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry

### Sources
- [Australia preps Bluebottle USV for submarine-hunting role - Defense News](https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2026/11/03/australia-preps-bluebottle-usv-for-submarine-hunting-role) - Defense News