The United States has endorsed the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the US, following a five-month Pentagon review that the department said identified opportunities to put the deal on the “strongest possible footing”.
US President Donald Trump’s administration said earlier this year it was reviewing the 2021 deal, signed under his predecessor Joe Biden.
Australia is set to purchase a minimum of three nuclear-powered attack submarines from the United States in the early 2030s, with plans to eventually construct its own submarines utilizing American technology.
“The purpose of the review was to identify opportunities to strengthen AUKUS and ensure its long-term success, in alignment with President Trump’s ‘America first’ agenda,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Friday.
Parnell stated in a press release, “Following President Trump’s directive for AUKUS to progress ‘full steam ahead,’ the assessment has pinpointed ways to firmly establish AUKUS.”
US Congressman Joe Courtney, co-chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, expressed support for the $368 billion agreement, as the review gave its approval.
He added, “I am assured that AUKUS is currently meeting all the targets we have set, and this review confirms our progress.”
Courtney added that the report determined there were “critical deadlines” that all three countries would have to meet, and that “maintaining disciplined adherence to schedule is paramount”.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said on Friday that he was pleased the US review had confirmed that AUKUS was “full steam ahead”.
“We’ll engage constructively with its findings and its recommendations on how to improve AUKUS even further,” Conroy told reporters.
“I’m confident, so far, AUKUS is hitting every single milestone that we’ve set it and this review confirms that.”
The government is considering the report ahead of crucial talks in Washington next week between Defence Minister Richard Marles and his US counterpart Pete Hegseth.
Marles said on Thursday that Australia is “working through” the review, which has been handed to the Albanese government but has not been made public.
Conroy said on Friday it was up to the US to decide whether to release the document publicly.
“We’re working through the review right now, and we’ve said publicly over the last two years where we can improve delivery, improve performance of AUKUS, we will do that.”
