On 2 April the UK’s Parliamentary Defence Committee launched an inquiry into AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between the UK, the US and Australia. AUKUS consists of two main pillars, facilitating cooperation between the countries on key defence capabilities.
Pillar 1 will see Australia acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines, with UK industry playing a key role in developing the new “SSN-AUKUS”. The Committee’s inquiry will ask whether this Pillar remains on track to deliver against the timelines and objectives set out in the 2023 Joint Leaders’ Statement on AUKUS. Pillar 2 facilitates broader cooperation on cutting-edge technological advancements, including artificial intelligence and quantum technologies: the Committee will look at whether there is sufficient clarity about how this pillar will be delivered.
The Chair of the Committee, Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, stated, “AUKUS is a vital partnership between the UK and two of our long-standing allies, the US and Australia, bringing us even closer together in our defence cooperation. The Indo-Pacific is an area of key strategic importance and ensuring its safety and security is paramount. AUKUS has been underway for over three years now. Our inquiry, launching today, will examine whether the partnership is on track, and will consider the impact of geopolitical shifts since the initial agreement in 2021. The inquiry will examine the progress made against each of the two pillars, and ask how any challenges could be addressed.”
The Committee welcomes written evidence on the following:
- How far have changes in the geopolitical situation affected the assumptions which underpinned the partnership when it was announced in 2021? Do they present a threat to the success of AUKUS?
- Are Whitehall cross-departmental governance and accountability structures for AUKUS adequate? How could they be improved?
- Have amendments to export control regimes across the three countries achieved their aim of maximising collaboration and promoting innovation?
Pillar 1. Is Pillar 1 on track to deliver against the timelines and objectives set out in the 2023 Joint Leaders’ Statement on AUKUS? In particular, what challenges exist in relation to the following areas, and how could they be addressed:
- Industrial capacity within the partner nations;
- Recruitment (including security vetting) and retention of suitably qualified and experienced personnel (both civilian and military) to build, maintain and operate the new submarines; and
- Infrastructure development.
Pillar 2.
- Is there sufficient clarity about the scope, funding, objectives, and delivery of Pillar 2?
- Is there adequate engagement between UK government and industry on Pillar 2?
- What are the opportunities and challenges involved in the potential expansion of Pillar 2 beyond the three partner nations?
The deadline for written evidence is 30 May 2025.
Source: UK House of Commons
