AUKUS IS ALIVE AND WELL, BUT WILL IT SURVIVE DONALD TRUMP?

AUKUS strengthens Australia, UK, and US defence ties with nuclear submarines amid China tensions, facing production challenges but remaining committed and strategically vital.

- JOHN DOBSON

It's now nearly four years since the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, known as AUKUS, was announced to a great fanfare.

The fundamental principle of the pact is to strengthen defence ties between the three nations and in doing so enhance security in the Indo-Pacific region. The three countries already had a history of military and intelligence cooperation as members of the “five eyes”. But rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific resulting from China's expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, its military modernisation and growing economic and military clout prompted the three nations to look for new ways to bolster security in the region. The centrepiece of the deal, announced on 15 September 2021, was a plan for the US and UK to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, which would mark a significant shift in Australia’s defence posture.

By comparison with conventional submarines, the nuclear-powered variety are faster, more durable and capable of operating for longer periods without refuelling. They are also much quieter and harder to track, staying submerged for months and able to travel vast distances without surfacing. Once acquired, Australia will be able to deploy its new submarines across the -Pacific, into the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, or even the Middle East if needed. The result is that a potential adversary, such as China, must assume that an Australian sub could be anywhere, creating uncertainty and discouraging aggression.