UK’s $1 billion AUKUS support request signals strong ongoing US collaboration
Artist’s rendering of possible design for SSN-AUKUS submarines. (Photo: BAE Systems)
The latest foreign military sales request from the UK has implications for the future of the programme and collaboration between the three nations.
The UK has significantly expanded its request for support from the US to progress the AUKUS submarine initiative, with a foreign military sales (FMS) request worth up to US$1 billion. This is a major hike from the original FMS case that was valued at $50 million.
While the trilateral agreement between Australia, the UK and the US had a high level of collaboration and technology sharing between the three nations built in, the boost in requested support could signal an even closer alignment between US capabilities and the final fleet of SSN-AUKUS submarines for the UK Royal Navy (RN) and the Royal Australian
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