By Olawale Abaire, Warrior Editorial Fellow
The trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, known as AUKUS, has emerged as a pivotal alliance to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This initiative represents the Department of Defense’s (DoD) unwavering commitment to strengthening alliances. Madeline Mortelmans, the acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategies, Plans, and Capabilities, highlighted the integral role of alliances and partnerships in implementing the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS).
Mortelmans emphasized that AUKUS will significantly influence the DoD’s approach to strategic competition. She stated, “When I talk about the NDS, the 2022 NDS, and what’s different about it, I always highlight and observe that almost every U.S. strategy, for years, has emphasized the importance of our allies and partners.”
The distinctive aspect of the current NDS, according to Mortelmans, is its call to action for transformative collaboration with allies and partners. “What’s different about this NDS is a call to action to do things differently, to drive change in breaking down barriers to how we work with allies and partners to bring them in sooner to our planning processes,” she explained during a panel hosted by the Center for a New American Security that “AUKUS is exactly in-line with our National Defense Strategy.”
Remember that when the AUKUS was formed in September 2021, the main aim of this partnership is to foster technology exchanges and build Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine force. The partnership’s first pillar involves Australia acquiring three Virginia-class, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines to replace its aging diesel-electric fleet by the 2030s. The three nations are also developing a cutting-edge submarine platform, the “SSN-AUKUS,” expected to be operational in the UK by the 2030s and in Australia by the 2040s.
The SSN-AUKUS represents a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine poised to offer unparalleled strategic benefits. This initiative is not merely a defense upgrade but a strategic alliance reinforcement among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The trilateral cooperation envisaged under AUKUS aims to fortify industrial capacities, enhance operational interoperability, and create robust, resilient supply chains.
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On June 18, 2024, the Naval Today media outlet reported that defense giants HII and Babcock unveiled a groundbreaking joint venture, H&B Defence, to fast-track Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program. Under the auspices of the AUKUS agreement, this collaboration represents a significant leap in Australia’s defense capabilities, leveraging expertise from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
H&B Defence is strategically headquartered in Canberra, Australia, and is dedicated to all facets of Australia’s nuclear submarine pathway as outlined in AUKUS Pillar 1. This includes workforce development, nuclear infrastructure design and construction, submarine defueling and decommissioning. The initiative is led by Tim Brown, a seasoned veteran with 33 years in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Australia’s commitment to the AUKUS pathway will place it among the elite group of seven countries operating nuclear-powered submarines. The SSN-AUKUS, a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine, is a pivotal element of this strategy. The program promises to enhance Australia’s strategic defense posture, fortifying trilateral supply chains and industrial cooperation among AUKUS partners.
The SSN-AUKUS submarines will leverage the technological prowess of three of the world’s leading naval powers. These vessels will likely feature advancements in stealth technology, sonar capabilities, and missile systems, positioning them as a formidable deterrent in the Indo-Pacific region. Comparing the Virginia class with potential SSN-AUKUS designs reveals a clear trajectory towards integrating superior offensive and defensive capabilities, ensuring these submarines can operate in contested environments with minimal detection risk.
