US to review AUKUS submarine partnership
An artist’s impression of the AUKUS SSN submarine. (Image: BAE Systems)
The Australia, UK and US (AUKUS) trilateral agreement consists of two pillars. The first pillar involves Australia’s procurement of nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) and the second pillar involves bring defence industry and research bases closer together through high-technology development programmes. It is the former which is under re-evaluation.
The US Government has announced a review of the AUKUS trilateral partnership and Australian commentators fear this could be the precursor to US cancellation of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) plan to acquire Virginia-class submarines from the US.
The review, to take just 30 days, will be carried out by Elbridge Colby, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, who is a critic of the plan to sell three, and possibly as many as five, Virginia-class boats to Australia under AUKUS Pillar 1.
He remains a supporter of AUKUS Pillar 2 which aims to bring the three countries’ defence industry and research
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition]()
UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition
The UK shipbuilder’s full-year results to the end of March revealed the impact of the £140 million charge linked to design changes and rework on the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme.
-
![US Navy expands non-standard acquisitions to rapidly field emerging technologies]()
US Navy expands non-standard acquisitions to rapidly field emerging technologies
The US Navy is increasing the use of OTA obligations to accelerate the procurement of seabed-subsea, littoral, expeditionary and uncrewed solutions.
-
![Can Portugal solve NATO’s uncrewed systems development challenge?]()
Can Portugal solve NATO’s uncrewed systems development challenge?
NATO has spent more than a decade building one of the world’s most sophisticated maritime uncrewed experimentation ecosystems, but still lacks a way to translate this testing into alliance-wide operational capability. Portugal now believes it has the answer.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Schiebel’s frigate-first strategy indicates a shift in UAV competition]()
Eurosatory 2026: Schiebel’s frigate-first strategy indicates a shift in UAV competition
Schiebel is pursuing opportunities in the UK and France while leveraging its integration with Naval Group’s FDI frigate programme to create new naval business across Europe.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance]()
Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance
Success with the US Army’s Black Widow programme may have strengthened Red Cat’s international position, but executives believe the next growth opportunity lies in uncrewed surface vessels.
-
![How Canada plans to use the River-class programme to revitalise its defence industry]()
How Canada plans to use the River-class programme to revitalise its defence industry
The Canadian DND estimates that the construction of destroyers will annually inject C$720 million (US$515 million) into the country’s GDP.
