A Trump-aligned Pentagon review questions whether AUKUS fits an “America First” agenda, raising fears it could unravel a key US-UK-Australia submarine and defense tech partnership against China.
The Financial Times first reported on Wednesday that the United States Department of Defense (DoD) will review its 2021 nuclear-powered submarine deal, which was launched as part of the AUKUS trilateral partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom. The review is being led by Elbridge Colby, the Under Secretary of Defense Policy and a close ally of President Donald Trump, to determine whether AUKUS aligns with Trump’s “America First” agenda.
US Experts Question the Usefulness of AUKUS
Colby has also previously expressed doubts about the plan, which has raised concerns among US allies that it could soon be scuttled, even as US lawmakers have received support. Critics of AUKUS, including Colby, have argued that the US submarine industrial base is already being pushed far beyond its capabilities, with much-needed boats built for the US Navy running years behind schedule.
Supporters counter that AUKUS would help, not hinder, the US submarine industrial base. However, this may be more than just about the production of the future submarines.
Ending the submarine and advanced technology development agreement would destroy a security cooperation pillar between the allies. The review has triggered anxiety in London and Canberra,” the Financial Times explained.
Critics of the program have further called for Australia to commit to using them in a war with China, including to help defend Taiwan should the need arise.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said Canberra and London have been notified about the review, but he believed all three nations remain committed to the deal.
“We’ve been aware of this for some time. We welcome it,” Marles said in a radio interview with ABC Melbourne on Thursday, per The New York Times. “It’s perfectly natural for an incoming administration to do.”
What Is AUKUS?
The AUKUS trilateral security partnership, comprising Australia, the UK, and the United States (A-UK-US), was first announced in September 2021. Its Pillar 1 initiative called for the US and UK to assist Australia in acquiring five nuclear-powered submarines to replace its aging conventionally powered Collins-class boats by the early 2030s.
Those boats would be a variant of the Virginia-class fast attack submarines (SSNs) operated by the US Navy.
The program would then call for the joint development of a new class of attack submarines, SSN-AUKUS, operated by both the UK’s Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The Australian-built boats will follow the first deliveries to the British, with the first platforms now scheduled for handover in the 2040s.
Australia has called the acquisition of the submarines vital to its security and to counter China’s aggressive posture in the region.
Canberra has already pledged to invest billions of dollars to support the program. Last year, it announced it would pay $3.1 billion to the UK to clear bottlenecks at the Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor production line. Australia also agreed to pay the US an additional $3 billion to help address production delays. The first payment of $500 million was made in January.
It calls for more than one submarine program as a trilateral security partnership.
AUKUS’s Pillar 2 goals would focus on developing advanced warfighting capabilities, including artificial intelligence, undersea drones, hypersonic, and electronic warfare technologies. Japan, New Zealand, and Canada want to join AUKUS to support the Pillar 2 initiatives.
It is worth noting that both countries are members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, including the US, the UK, and Australia. There has been speculation that Tokyo has also sought to join that alliance to address China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Branden Bourque.
