<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/11/pentagon-review-aukus-security-alliance>
"The Pentagon has launched a review of the Aukus defence pact to make sure it
is aligned with Trump’s “America first” agenda, throwing the $240bn agreement
with Britain and Australia into doubt.
The review may trigger more allied anxiety over the future of the trilateral
alliance designed to counter China’s military rise. Australia in particular is
relying on Aukus to renew its entire submarine fleet.
“The department is reviewing Aukus as part of ensuring that this initiative of
the previous administration is aligned with the president’s ‘America first’
agenda,” a Pentagon official said. “This means ensuring the highest readiness
of our service members, that allies step up fully to do their part for
collective defense and that the defense industrial base is meeting our needs.”
The 2021 Biden-era agreement would see Australia acquire nuclear-powered attack
submarines, with the US promising to sell up to five Virginia-class vessels
from 2032. A new joint submarine class would follow in the early 2040s.
But now, the Aukus-skeptic US undersecretary of defense, Elbridge Colby, is
reportedly charged with undertaking that effort, a number of anonymous sources
told
FT. Colby posted on X last year that it “would be crazy” for the US to
have fewer nuclear submarines if conflict erupted over Taiwan.
The British government responded cautiously to news of the US review, saying:
“Aukus is a landmark security and defence partnership with two of our closest
allies. It is one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades,
supporting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic, while also
delivering jobs and economic growth in communities across all three nations.
“It is understandable that a new administration would want to review its
approach to such a major partnership, just as the UK did last year. The UK will
continue to work closely with the US and Australia at all levels to maximise
the benefits and opportunities which Aukus presents for our three nations.”
Nuclear submarine powers are members of an exclusive club – only six countries
currently operate them: the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and India. Aukus
would make Australia the seventh.
And while generally favored by US lawmakers focused on national security – and
as Australia tries to step up its security spending in line with Trump’s wishes
– the deal’s survival now appears to be in the balance.
The US president himself does not seem to have made a priority of the pact.
Asked about Aukus during Keir Starmer’s visit in February, Trump appeared
unfamiliar with the acronym, responding: “What does that mean?”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
