Three years ago this week, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia embarked on an enhanced security partnership called AUKUS, focused on a shared commitment to the international rules-based order.The AUKUS partnership has two pillars. The first is to enable Australia’s acquisition of a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability. The second pillar is to ensure cooperation to develop and provide advanced capabilities to promote security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
“In the past year, our nations have made significant strides towards ensuring Australia possesses conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine capability,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.
Last month, for instance, as part of a training effort, more than 30 Royal Australian sailors performed maintenance work on the USS Hawaii, a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine. The work is significant because it is the first time Australian sailors conducted such work in Australia. During that effort, the Australian sailors were embedded with the crew off USS Emory S. Land — a U.S. submarine tender ship.
“Beyond submarines, AUKUS is advancing next-generation technologies from uncrewed maritime systems to AI-enabled sensing systems that enhance our ability to detect, decide and respond to threats more effectively,” Ryder said. “We in the Department of Defense are excited about the progress that has been made to date regarding AUKUS.”
As part of the AUKUS Pillar I effort, the Australians will add nuclear-powered submarines to their naval fleet. While this means submarine vessels that are powered by nuclear propulsion, it does not mean nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are not part of AUKUS.
Australia has agreed to purchase three Virginia-class submarines from the U.S. by the early 2030s as part of the AUKUS Pillar I effort. The Virginia-class submarine is already the newest submarine in the U.S. fleet, and it will be new to the Australians as well. Procurement of the Virginia-class submarines is expected to allow the Australian navy to hone its skills in the use of nuclear-powered vessels, preparing them for when it can produce its own submarines.
The U.K. and Australia will work together to develop and deploy the SSN-AUKUS, a new nuclear-powered submarine, designed for Australia through the AUKUS partnership. It’s expected that by the late 2030s, Australia will accept the delivery of the first SSN-AUKUS submarine from the U.K. Later, by the early 2040s, it’s expected that Australia will build its own SSN-AUKUS submarines.
Since the beginning of the AUKUS partnership, the three nations have worked to advance Pillar II efforts, referred to as the Advanced Capabilities line of effort. This effort serves as a strategic partnership and technology accelerator for the three AUKUS nations to harness and uplift innovation enterprises and industrial bases, remove barriers to cooperation, and deliver advanced capabilities to warfighters.
Areas of focus within the Pillar II Advanced Capabilities line of effort include artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum, cyber, hypersonics/counter-hypersonics and electronic warfare.
Also, as part of Pillar II, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have committed to reducing export control restrictions to facilitate secure trade between and among AUKUS partners.
This month, for instance, the U.S. amended the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and implemented an export licensing exemption for Australia and the United Kingdom. These changes are expected to maximize innovation and mutually strengthen the three defense industrial bases by facilitating billions of dollars in secure license-free defense trade.
