> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mgg-geopolitics.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # AUKUS Pillar II drones and uncrewed systems tested off Southern California - URL: https://www.mgg-geopolitics.com/aukus-pillar-ii-drones-and-uncrewed-systems-tested-off-southern-california/ - Published: 2026-10-08T08:43:23.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T08:43:23.000Z - Author: MGG Geopolitics - Tags: Indo-Pacific, Naval, United States, Technology The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom have begun three weeks of live testing of uncrewed and autonomous maritime systems off Southern California, the US Navy said on 7 October. The event, called AUKUS Pillar II Maritime Big Play Pacific, runs from 5 to 25 October 2026 in the Navy's Southern California operating area. The Navy said the demonstration will test more than 40 government and industry technologies from all three countries. These include autonomous systems and crewed and uncrewed platforms across several domains. The event will also feature live-fire scenarios focused on strike operations, contested resupply and undersea warfare. The demonstration is sponsored by the Critical Technologies office within the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific is hosting it with US Pacific Fleet and the US Marine Corps, according to the release. ## What is being tested The release said the event aims to integrate mature robotics and autonomous systems into AUKUS coalition operations at sea. A central goal is common command and control that allows the partners to coordinate large numbers of systems. The Navy said this would help generate combat mass. A second goal is secure communications linking systems from high altitude down to the sea floor. The release described this as "stratosphere to seabed" communications, intended to let the three partners operate together across the maritime domain. Gerry Tighe, the US lead for AUKUS Maritime Big Play, called the event "a significant step forward as partners to integrate and fight together". He said the effort seeks to blend autonomous systems with the conventional fleet. Systems from the partners' industrial base had been put in the hands of AUKUS service personnel so they could train together, he said. Tighe said the work had removed technical barriers to using the advanced systems in real operations. The release did not name the individual systems or the companies taking part. ## Three years of trials AUKUS has two main strands. Pillar I covers Australia's acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. Pillar II covers advanced capabilities, including undersea warfare, autonomy and artificial intelligence, according to Australia's Department of Defence. The Navy said this year's demonstration builds on three years of trilateral work. The first Maritime Big Play experiments took place during the REPMUS exercise in Portugal in September 2024\. Australia then hosted the first large-scale Maritime Big Play demonstration in the Indo-Pacific during Autonomous Warrior in Jervis Bay in October 2024\. Japan attended the Australian event as an observer, according to the Royal Navy. In 2025, the series ran alongside Exercise Talisman Sabre. During that round, the Royal Navy controlled its Excalibur extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle in UK waters from an operating centre in Australia, more than 10,000 miles away. The Royal Navy said it was the first time the UK and Australia had demonstrated that they could operate the vehicle as a single fighting force under Pillar II. Australian and US personnel also tested subsea and seabed warfare systems during the RIMPAC exercise off Hawaii in July 2026, the Australian Department of Defence said. That work focused on protecting critical undersea infrastructure. ## Why it counts for the Indo-Pacific The release framed the event as part of a shared commitment by the three countries to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. In our assessment, the focus on contested resupply and undersea warfare reflects the kind of fight the partners expect in the region. Uncrewed systems could add combat mass to the three fleets, potentially at lower cost than expanding their crewed forces. The trials will test how effectively the partners can coordinate those systems during realistic missions. The submarine programme is the better-known part of AUKUS. Events such as this one test how Pillar II technologies can work in sailors' hands and alongside the conventional fleet. Their operational value will depend on whether the partners can turn successful demonstrations into reliable capabilities at scale.