Officials are closely examining and reassessing the AUKUS submarine deal among Australia, the UK, and the US. They are asking for other “commonsense” steps to make sure the agreement remains viable. John Noh, who just got nominated to help superintend U.S. defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific, urged countries to cooperate to make the agreement more robust, raising its ambition. He focused on the most pressing problems, all deserving immediate attention. The deadline for starting to deliver American submarines to Australia is quickly approaching.
As it stands under the terms of AUKUS, Australia will not see its first American submarine until at least 2032. Policy experts caution that this delay is an ominous sign of U.S. production capacity’s woeful inadequacy. At present, America fields only 1.2 submarines a year, which is deeply concerning. The U.S. is already pledged to provide Australia with three to five Virginia-class submarines. In order to achieve this goal, the production rate needs to increase to 2.33 submarines per year.
Financial Commitment and Production Challenges
Australia has promised $2 billion to help ramp up U.S. shipbuilding capacity by the end of this year. Over half of that money has already been awarded. The total cost of the AUKUS deal is projected to balloon up to $368 billion. Frustration is the theme from critics. Chief among their concerns is that the U.S. is failing to adequately support its own fleet needs, let alone the needs of its allies.
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, another member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed disappointment over recent DoD decisions to locate military bases. He pointedly focused in on worrying about our allies in the Indo-Pacific. He noted that many of the decisions taken are leaving allies scratching their heads about America’s dedication to its friends.
“I’m disappointed with some of the decisions the department has made with respect to our allies in Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan.” – Roger Wicker
Committee member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen raised concerns about the effects that delayed reviews would have on U.S.-Australia relations. She reiterated that given the scale of Australia’s investment in AUKUS, it should be received with no ambiguity.
“What kind of message does it send to our ally Australia that after they have committed significant contributions to AUKUS that we are still fooling around … with a review that should have been done months ago?” – Jeanne Shaheen
Ongoing AUKUS Review
The ongoing AUKUS review, expected to conclude by this fall, has drawn criticism from both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. They have publicly snapped at what they perceive to be a lack of urgency in dealing with concerns around the deal.
John Noh has refrained from providing specific details regarding potential changes but indicated that there are various aspects worth exploring. He stressed that there are things the US and Australia can both do to make the agreement more sustainable.
“My personal view is that there are things that we, as in both the United States and Australia with the United Kingdom, can do to strengthen pillar one and make it more sustainable.” – John Noh
Noh underscored that a deep dive into funding streams and operational realities is essential, too, as part of the review process.
“These are the issues … that we are looking into as part of the AUKUS review, as well as whether it’s properly funded.” – John Noh
Bipartisan Support for AUKUS
AUKUS hasn’t lost support, with lawmakers still overwhelmingly backing the pact across party lines. Yet, they know the pact’s strategic importance to deepen defense cooperation across the Indo-Pacific region, even amid such concerns. Members of Congress are still pushing for a straightforward way forward that meets the needs of increased production and the fiscal responsibility of funding commitments.
As negotiations continue, all parties will need to ensure that good faith and communication remain. Join us in working together to identify and develop workable solutions. Deep collaboration is the lifeblood of AUKUS, and it will be absolutely key to fulfilling AUKUS’s promise to improve our national security. It further deepens collaboration across key allies.
