Australia to Supply Fiji with Bluebottle Maritime Drones from 2027

Australia agreed on 16 October 2026 to supply Fiji with Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels and the training needed to operate them. The drones, built by the Sydney company Ocius, run on solar and wind power and can remain at sea for more than 180 days. Fiji is expected to deploy them in 2027.

The vessels will support surveillance and interdiction against drug trafficking and other transnational crime. Fiji approved a new maritime security strategy on 15 October that targets a rise in methamphetamine and cocaine shipments across the Pacific. The Bluebottle programme forms part of the Waqa Moana partnership. Australia pledged A$600 million at the Pacific Islands Forum in September to help Pacific countries implement the partnership.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said countries in the region need to share intelligence and coordinate interdiction. He noted that the drones carry sonar that can detect vessels and submarines. Australia already operates more than 10 Bluebottles from a base in Darwin. A March 2026 contract for 40 additional vessels will bring the Australian fleet to 55, which officials describe as the largest fleet of uncrewed maritime surveillance vessels in the world.

Ocius opened a new manufacturing facility on the east coast of Sydney on 16 October to increase production. The company has operated the Bluebottle fleet from Darwin for Australian border surveillance. The drones for Fiji will come from the same production line. Defence Minister Richard Marles said the partnership shows how Australian technology can produce practical results for neighbours.

Pacific island states with small populations struggle to patrol millions of square kilometres of ocean. Illegal fishing fleets and so-called narco-subs that travel from South America have increased the load on limited coast guards. Fiji is also overhauling its intelligence service. New Zealand's spy agency will conduct a six-month review.

The Bluebottle is named after a small jellyfish common on Australian beaches. The vessels are quiet and can loiter for months without refuelling. Australia will provide both the platforms and the training under the existing security package. Officials have not released the exact number of drones Fiji will receive or the precise delivery schedule beyond the 2027 target.

The announcement coincides with broader Australian efforts to deepen security ties with Pacific partners. Conroy has said the Bluebottles are a world-class design. The transfer follows the Ocean of Peace Treaty signed by the two countries in July 2026. Fiji's new maritime strategy and the intelligence review provide the policy framework for the drones once they arrive.