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Preface

Welcome to the online version of the AUKUS Briefing Book. The purpose of this briefing book is to provide the greater national security community and the public with a resource to better understand the AUKUS partnership and its many initiatives and lines of effort. This is our second edition and has been updated to reflect developments from the announcement of AUKUS in September 2021 through mid-December 2023.

The briefing book is organized and presented to serve both novices and experienced scholar-practitioners. For the individual who is unfamiliar with the AUKUS partnership, the executive summary and other initial sections contain the most basic, essential, and important information and analysis. For the more experienced scholar or national security practitioner, later chapters serve as a comprehensive resource containing links to official primary source documents, foundational texts, and various critical analyses and related research.

As the AUKUS partnership grows and matures, we expect to update the briefing book regularly (at least annually). To make this resource more valuable, Security and Defence PLuS needs your feedback. If you have a recommendation or constructive criticism to help us improve the next version, or take issue with the accuracy of any content, please email us at [email protected].

Executive Summary

Early Context

On September 15, 2021, the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia surprised the world with the announcement of a trilateral partnership called AUKUS.¹ According to the joint statement, the AUKUS partnership sought to deepen diplomatic, security, and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting deeper information and technology sharing as well as deeper integration of security and defense-related science and technology.²

Since the announcement, two key pillars of AUKUS have emerged. Pillar 1 focuses on enabling Australia to acquire nuclear-powered, conventionally-armed submarine capability, and Pillar 2 focuses on enhancing collaboration to develop and field “advanced capabilities.” Each of these pillars is described in more detail in subsequent sections.

The AUKUS announcement came as a surprise to even the most connected individuals of the national security communities in all three countries, and many experts agreed that it marked a turning point in Indo-Pacific security and the demonstrated long-term resolve of all three countries (especially Australia) to counter the influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the long-term balance of military power.³

The AUKUS announcement held the attention of national and international media for two related reasons. First, the primary initiative of the partnership was an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom to support Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. The leaders made it clear that the details of such an arrangement would be negotiated over the next 18 months, giving their governments until March 2023 to make the partnership a reality and “determine an optimal pathway forward.”⁴

This alone would have been big news, as Australia had a reputation for its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and had, just six years earlier, embarked on a $66 billion (US) defense contract with France’s Naval Group to build 12 diesel-electric submarines to replace its aging Collins-class boats. But the second reason for the attention of national and international media was the fact that neither Australian, UK, nor US leaders had told the leaders of France about the new agreement or that it would mean the cancellation of the contract with the Naval Group, a French defense contractor partially owned by the French government.⁵

In the time since, both the Australian and US governments made real attempts to repair the damage done by the diplomatic gaffe associated with the AUKUS rollout. After France recalled its ambassadors from both Washington, DC, and Canberra, Australia, the Biden administration and the Morrison government engaged French counterparts and apologized for the oversight. Australia ended up agreeing to pay US$584 million to France’s Naval Group in a settlement finalized by the new Australian government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in May of 2022.⁶

¹ Alexander Ward and Paul McLeary, “Biden Announces Joint Deal with U.K. and Australia to Counter China,” Politico, September 15, 2021, https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/15/biden-deal-uk-australia- defense-tech-sharing-511877.

² Joseph Biden, Boris Johnson, and Scott Morrison, “Joint Leaders Statement on AUKUS,” The White House, September 15, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements- releases/2021/09/15/joint-leaders-statement-on-aukus/.

³ Joe Wheatley, “Fear, Honour, and AUKUS in the Indo-Pacific,” The Strategy Bridge, November 9, 2021, https://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2021/11/9/fear-honour-and-aukus-in-the-indo-pacific.

⁴ Biden, Johnson, and Morrison, “Joint Leaders Statement on AUKUS.”

⁵ Dusty Jones, “Why A Submarine Deal Has France At Odds With U.S., U.K. And Australia,” NPR, September 19, 2021, https://www.npr.org/2021/09/19/1038746061/submarine-deal-us-uk-australia-france.

⁶ Josh Taylor, “Aukus Pact: Australia Pays $830m Penalty for Ditching Non-Nuclear French Submarines,” TheGuardian, June 11, 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/11/aukus-pact-australia-pays-830m-penalty-for-ditching-non-nuclear-french-submarines.

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AUKUS Partnership Organization

At this time, the AUKUS partnership has no overarching binding agreement; however, the “first initiative” of the partnership has a negotiated binding agreement that came into force on February 8, 2022, after each government completed the necessary binding actions. The official short title is the Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement (ENNPIA).

The AUKUS partnership has a three-tiered governance framework consisting of a Senior Officials Group, two Joint Steering Groups overseeing AUKUS Pillar 1 and Pillar 2, respectively, and various working groups under each Pillar. The original structure of the working groups is shown on the diagram below:

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AUKUS Pillar 1: The “Optimal Pathway” for Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Only six countries in the world, all of them nuclear-armed, have nuclear-powered attack submarines. Under AUKUS Pillar 1, Australia is set to join this exclusive club as the seventh member, and the only one to not possess nuclear weapons.⁷

The conventionally-armed, nuclear powered submarines (SSNs) that are a part of the AUKUS headline initiative have marked differences from diesel-powered attack submarines (SSKs). SSKs, the submarines that were a part of Australia’s original submarine deal with France’s Naval Group, have a distinct disadvantage in that they must resurface periodically to allow their batteries to recharge—an operation known as “snorting.”⁸ In comparison, SSNs’ nuclear-powered batteries need only be recharged about every fifteen years and only need to surface as crewmembers require it, enabling them to take on longer-range missions. SSNs are also much faster than SSKs. With these advantages, SSNs can both chase and run from targets, while SSKs must wait for targets to come into range.⁹ One of the first tasks for AUKUS partners was determining how to best achieve Australian SSN acquisition.

The “The AUKUS Nuclear-Powered Pathway: A Partnership for the Future” or “Optimal Pathway” for short, announced in March 2023, was developed by the AUKUS Pillar 1 Joint Steering Group over the course of 12 meetings between December 2021 and February 2023 and is the result of a trilateral study assessing methods through which Australia can acquire SSNs as quickly as possible.¹⁰ Australia will ultimately receive SSN-AUKUS, a trilaterally-developed SSN. The receipt of SSN-AUKUS will begin in phases meant to both allow the necessary time for its development and ensure Australia is capable of its operation and maintenance.¹¹

In this phased approach, the United Kingdom and United States will increase port visits to Australia with their own fleets beginning in 2023 and 2026, respectively, to increase Australian familiarity in hosting and maintaining SSNs.¹² The United States and United Kingdom will also initiate the Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) as early as 2027 at HMAS Stirling, a military base in Western Australia. This fleet will consist of a rotational presence of one UK Astute class SSN and up to four US Virginia class SSNs.

SSN-AUKUS is expected to be delivered to Australia by the early 2040s, and the period between rotational presence and Australian autonomous SSN acquisition, or the ‘submarine gap,’ will be augmented by the United States. The United States will sell Australia three Virginia class SSNs with the potential to sell an additional two if needed, beginning in the early 2030s. This provision was authorized by the US Congress in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed in December 2023.¹³ The commonality in design features of American SSNs and the future SSN-AUKUS, including similarities in propulsion plant, combat system, and weapons, will further enhance interoperability among AUKUS partners.¹⁴ The 2024 NDAA also authorizes “the maintenance of US submarines by Australians in Australia,” authorizes “Australian contractors to train in US shipyards to support development of its own industrial base,” and establishes “a mechanism for the United States to accept funds from Australia to lift the capacity of the submarine industrial base.”¹⁵

Two of the major goals of the Optimal Pathway are to establish Australia as a nuclear steward and to make this capacity sovereign ready. This stewardship “describes the responsible planning, operation, application and management of nuclear material, technology and facilities. As Australia will be a non-nuclear weapon state with a naval nuclear propulsion capability, stewardship will also include the implementation of appropriate safeguard arrangements as agreed between Australia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in consultation with AUKUS partners.”¹⁶

“Sovereign ready is an important milestone on this Pathway. It refers to the point at which Australia has the ability to safely own, operate, maintain and regulate a sovereign conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability… Australia’s target date for achieving the ‘sovereign-ready’ milestone is the early 2030s, enabling it to acquire its first Virginia class SSN” from the United States.”¹⁷

The full Optimal Pathway document is available here for download: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1142588/The_AUKUS_nuclear_powered_submarine_pathway_a_partnership_for_the_future.pdf.

⁷ Sam Roggeveen, “How Nuclear Subs Could Transform Australia, Its Alliance and Asia,” The Interpreter, September 16, 2021, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/how-nuclear-subs-could-transform-australia-its-alliance-asia.

⁸Sylvia Pfeifer, Demitri Sevastopulo, and Anna Gross, “The Nuclear Technology Behind Australia’s AUKUS Submarine Deal,” The Financial Times, September 19, 2021, https://www.ft.com/content/aa5c9fd5-891b-4680-b3c7-5a55d03f673c.

⁹Hugh White, “SSN vs SSK,” The Interpreter, September 29, 2021, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/ssn-vs-ssk.

¹⁰“The AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarine Pathway: A Partnership for the Future,” UK Government, March 2023, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1142588/The_AUKUS_nuclear_powered_submarine_pathway_a_partnership_for_the_future.pdf.

¹¹ Ibid.

¹² “Australia’s Nuclear-Powered Submarine Capability,” Australian Government, March 2023, https://www.asa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-06/Pathway-Factsheet.pdf.

¹³ “Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress,” Australian Ministry of Defence, December 15, 2023, https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-12-15/passage-priority-aukus-submarine-and-export-control-exemption-legislation-united-states-congress.

¹⁴ “FACT SHEET: Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines,” The White House, March 13, 2023 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/13/fact-sheet-trilateral-australia-uk-us-partnership-on-nuclear-powered-submarines/.

¹⁵ “Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress.”

¹⁶ “FACT SHEET: Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines.”

¹⁷ Ibid.

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Nonproliferation Concerns

Australian SSN acquisition has naturally raised concerns of compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). This will be the first time that the United States will share nuclear technology with a foreign country since a 1958 mutual defense agreement with the United Kingdom; the United States has not otherwise shared such technology with another state since the NPT went into force in 1970.¹⁸

The AUKUS submarine deal would see Australia become the first country to exercise a “loophole” that allows it to remove nuclear material from the inspection system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).¹⁹ One concern is how this precedent could be exploited by other non-nuclear weapons states to divert materials from naval reactors and potentially use that material for weapons production.²⁰ Another concern is that the AUKUS submarine deal may create a more permissive environment that would embolden other countries to develop their own heavily enriched uranium (HEU) fueled nuclear submarines and their own HEU fuel.²¹ HEU, or uranium enriched greater than 20%, is needed for the development of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons generally require enrichment levels of at least 80%– although an actor’s ability to meet this threshold is far easier after reaching the 20% enrichment mark.²²

Both the US and UK submarine fleets use HEU to power their SSNs. HEU, compared to low enriched uranium (LEU), also has a much longer lifespan. The Virginia class HEU lasts for 33 years—the life of the submarine—while submarines using LEU must be refueled every one to three years.²³

In recognition of these concerns, AUKUS partners completed an 18 month consultation period with the IAEA, the international organization tasked with NPT regulation and compliance. The Optimal Pathway was thus designed to meet the IAEA’s technical objectives of: 1) verifying no diversion of nuclear material, 2) no misuse of nuclear facilities, and 3) no undeclared nuclear material or activity in Australia. Committed to maintaining the NPT, the AUKUS partners committed that Australia, as a non-nuclear weapons state at the time of its signature, does not currently nor will it seek to acquire nuclear weapons. Australia further committed to declaring all nuclear materials and activity to the IAEA throughout the implementation of the Optimal Pathway.²⁴

¹⁸ Shayan Karbassi, “Legal Mechanisms of AUKUS Explained,” Lawfare Blog, September 24, 2021, https://www.lawfareblog.com/legal-mechanisms-aukus-explained.

¹⁹James Acton, “Why the AUKUS Submarine Deal Is Bad for Nonproliferation—And What to Do About It,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, September 21, 2021, https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/09/21/why-aukus-submarine-deal-is-bad-for-nonproliferation-andwhat-to-do-about-it-pub-85399.

²⁰ Cathy Moloney, “AUKUS and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime,” The Interpreter, September 28, 2021, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/aukus-and-nuclear-non-proliferation-regime.

²¹ Trevor Findlay and Frank N. von Hippel, “The Australia-UK-U.S. Submarine Deal,” Arms Control Today, Volume 51, Number 9, November 2021, https://sgs.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/2021-11/vonhippel2021-aukus.pdf.

²² “Nuclear 101: Uranium Enrichment,” Nuclear Threat Initiative, 2023, https://tutorials.nti.org/nuclear-101/uranium-enrichment/#:~:text=Uranium%20enriched%20to%20more%20than,required%20to%20build%20a%20bomb.

²³ Anastasia Kapetas, “Limiting the Nuclear-Proliferation Blowback from the AUKUS Submarine Deal,” The Strategist, September 21, 2021, https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/limiting-the-nuclear-proliferation-blowback-from-the-aukus-submarine-deal/.

²⁴ “The AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarine Pathway: A Partnership for the Future,” UK Government, March 2023, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1142588/The_AUKUS_nuclear_powered_submarine_pathway_a_partnership_for_the_future.pdf.

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AUKUS Pillar 2: Advanced Capabilities

To develop and field advanced capabilities, the three AUKUS countries have specified and engaged in a suite of cooperative activities under the name of AUKUS Pillar 2. While the structure of Pillar 2 efforts has flexed a little since the initial AUKUS announcement, Pillar 2 activities are now being conducted by eight working groups, six of which address technological areas (Undersea Capabilities, Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy, Advanced Cyber, Hypersonic and Counter-hypersonic Capabilities, and Electronic Warfare) and the other two of which address broader functional area (Innovation and Information Sharing).²⁵

The following links provide more detailed information from US government resources on the six technological areas:

Undersea Capabilities: https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R45757.pdf
Quantum Technologies: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11836
Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47644
Advanced Cyber: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10537
Hypersonic and Counter-hypersonic Capabilities: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45811/35
Electronic Warfare: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11118/13

²⁵ Patrick Parrish and Luke A. Nicastro, “AUKUS Pillar 2: Background and Issues for Congress,” Congressional Research Service, June 20, 2023, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47599/2

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Export Control Reforms

Pillar 1 and 2 activities may require the transfer of items, technologies, and information via Foreign Military Sales and/or government-issued export licenses for Direct Commercial Sales. In the United States, these processes are governed by the Arms Export Control Act, which is administered through International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

While intended to function as a protection mechanism against adversaries, experts have argued that ITAR presents a significant challenge to the success of AUKUS and have recommended reforms, such as the authorization of the license-free transfer of eligible unclassified and classified ITAR-controlled defense articles and defense services as well as eligible re-exports and re-transfers only between and among the three AUKUS countries.²⁶

In 2023, bills were introduced in the US Congress targeted at reforming ITAR to ease AUKUS-related collaboration, including the KOALA Act (H.R.4716) and BRITS Act (H.R.4715), which aimed to exempt Australia and the United Kingdom from ITAR, respectively.²⁷ In November 2023, the Australian Government introduced its own export reform bill, titled the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023, in order to ease technology sharing between Australia and the United Kingdom and United States.²⁸

Then in December 2023, the US Congress passed the 2024 National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes three key export control-related provisions. First, the NDAA allows “the transfer of controlled goods and technology between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States without the need for an export licence.”²⁹ It also “directs expedited decision-making for Foreign Military Sales and exports not covered by the national exemption” and “adds Australia and the United Kingdom to Title III of the US Defense Production Act.”³⁰

²⁶ Tom Corben and Bill Greenwalt, “Breaking the Barriers: Reforming US Export Controls to Realise the Potential of AUKUS,” United States Studies Centre, May 17, 2023, https://www.ussc.edu.au/breaking-the-barriers-reforming-us-export-controls-to-realise-the-potential-of-aukus.

²⁷ Bill Greenwalt, “Two Years On, Is the AUKUS Agreement at the Brink of Failure?” Breaking Defense, September 14, 2023, https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/two-years-on-is-the-aukus-agreement-at-the-brink-of-failure/.

²⁸ “Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023,” Australian Ministry of Defence, November 30, 2023, https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/defence-trade-controls-amendment-bill-2023.

²⁹ “Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress,” Australian Ministry of Defence, December 15, 2023, https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-12-15/passage-priority-aukus-submarine-and-export-control-exemption-legislation-united-states-congress.

³⁰ Ibid.

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Chapter Overview

The following chapters contain critical primary source material regarding the AUKUS partnership.

Chapter 1 – Joint Statements and Official Documents: This section provides a comprehensive collection of statements and documents issued jointly by the three governments related to AUKUS.

Chapter 2 – Australia Official Statements and Documents: This chapter contains public-facing material from the Australian government related to AUKUS.

Chapter 3 – United Kingdom Official Statements and Documents: This chapter contains public-facing material from the UK government related to AUKUS.

Chapter 4 – United States Official Statements and Documents: This chapter contains public-facing material from the U.S. government related to AUKUS.

Chapter 5 – International Official Statements and Documents: This chapter contains documents and statements from non-AUKUS countries on their reactions to AUKUS announcements. It also contains documents from the International Atomic Energy Agency on the relationship between the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and nuclear nonproliferation.

Chapter 6 – Notable News and Commentary: This chapter includes a selection of noteworthy news articles and commentary on major AUKUS developments and issues from experts in all three AUKUS member countries, as well as from countries across the region and the world, and is organized into several thematic areas, including reactions to AUKUS; its strategic implications; progress, challenges, and perspectives on its two Pillars; and relevant commentary on export controls, workforce development, and nuclear nonproliferation.

Chapter 7 – Glossary

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Chapter 1

Joint Statements and Official Documents

This chapter contains links to statements and official documents issued jointly by the three governments related to the AUKUS partnership. Together they represent the coordinated public face of this partnership. Where the same joint statements or documents were simultaneously published by the different AUKUS governments, we have included just one instance of the statement or document to avoid unnecessary duplication.

The statements linked below represent both trilateral as well as bilateral partnership announcements and include the initial announcement of AUKUS in September 2021, subsequent anniversary announcements, the release of the AUKUS “Optimal Pathway” in March 2023, the official State visit of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the United States in October 2023, and AUKUS Defence Ministerial updates. The last joint statement of 2023 includes several noteworthy updates, including announcing the launch of a series of AUKUS “innovation challenges” in 2024 and the creation of an AUKUS Advanced Capabilities Industry Forum and AUKUS Defense Investors Network.

1.1 - Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement (ENNPIA) (September 15, 2021)

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1.2 - Joint Leaders Statement on AUKUS (September 15, 2021)

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1.3 - Remarks by President and Prime Ministers (September 15, 2021)

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1.4 - Readout of AUKUS Joint Steering Group Meetings (December 17, 2021)

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1.5 - AUKUS Leaders’ Level Statement (April 5, 2022)

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1.6 - Fact Sheet: Implementation of the AUKUS partnership (April 6, 2022)

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1.7 - Readout of AUKUS Joint Steering Group Meetings (July 31, 2022)

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1.8 - Joint Leadership Statement to Mark One Year Anniversary of AUKUS (September 23, 2022)

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1.9 - Joint Statement on AUSMIN Consultations (December 6, 2022)

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1.10 - AUKUS Defense Ministerial Joint Statement (December 7, 2022)

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1.11 - Joint Statement on AUKMIN Consultations (February 2, 2023)

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1.12 - Joint Leaders Statement on the Optimal Pathway (March 13, 2023)

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1.13 - Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia Before Bilateral Meeting (March 13, 2023)

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1.14 - Fact Sheet: Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines (Optimal Pathway) (March 13, 2023)

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1.15 - Remarks by President Biden, Prime Minister Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Sunak of the United Kingdom on the AUKUS Partnership (March 13 2023)

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1.16 - The AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarine Pathway: A Partnership for the Future (Optimal Pathway) (March 14, 2023)

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1.17 - Joint Leaders Statement on the Optimal Pathway (Detailed) (March 14, 2023)

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1.18 - Australia-United States Joint Leaders’ Statement (May 20, 2023)

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1.19 - Joint Statement on AUSMIN Consultations (July 29, 2023)

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1.20 - Joint Leadership Statement to Mark Two Year Anniversary of AUKUS (September 15, 2023)

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1.21 - Fact Sheet: Delivering on the Next Generation of Innovation and Partnership with Australia (October 25, 2023)

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1.22 - U.S.–Australia Joint Leaders’ Statement: Building an Innovation Alliance (October 25, 2023)

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1.23 - Remarks by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.S. President Joe Biden in Joint Press Conference (October 25, 2023)

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1.24 - Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia (October 26, 2023)

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1.25 - AUKUS Defense Ministers Meeting Joint Statement (December 1, 2023)

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1.26 - AUKUS Defense Ministerial Joint Statement (December 7, 2023)

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Chapter 2

Australia Official Statements and Documents

Australian official documents reflect the political debate in the Australian Parliament along with efforts of its Department of Defence and are listed below. Australia is widely seen as the primary beneficiary of the AUKUS partnership. In essence, Australia has the most to gain and the most to lose in the arrangement. The loss of the sunk expenditure on the Naval Group submarine contract, the potential cost of nuclear-powered submarines, and the significant timeline to delivery, coupled with the related submarine capability gap, all make AUKUS a significant political issue in Australia.

Australia’s participation in and support for AUKUS, however, has persevered through changes in government and party control. When the Australian Labor Party, led by Anthony Albanese, won the Australian federal election in May 2022, it had already endorsed in principle the AUKUS partnership agreed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s coalition Government on the basis that the arrangement was compatible with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Australia would not pursue nuclear weapons—a position it has reemphasised since.³¹ AUKUS, however, did attract trenchant and widely publicized criticism from former Australian Labor Prime Minister, Paul Keating, as well as concerns and questions from other former Australian Government officials. Prime Minister Albanese and his ministers were, nonetheless, able to secure an emphatic endorsement of the AUKUS partnership at the 49th National Conference of the Australian Labor Party August 2023.³²

The AUKUS partnership has also enjoyed strong bipartisan support from members of the major parties in the Australian Parliament. However, a significant group of legislators expressed doubts in late 2023 about the United States’ ability to build enough submarines to meet its own needs, let alone Australia’s. Also worrying the Australian Government in late 2023 were the slow progress in changing the US export control regime to enable the sale of submarines and fast-tracking the joint development of weapons, in addition to uncertainty about the upcoming US 2024 presidential election and that might impact AUKUS. At least some of these concerns were addressed with the passage of the US 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorized several critical provisions for enabling AUKUS.³³On November 30, Australia also introduced its own bill, the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023, to update export control requirements.³⁴

³¹ “Statement by the Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese, with Senator Penny Wong & Brendan O’Connor on the AUKUS Partnership,” anthonyalbanese.com, September 16, 2021, https://anthonyalbanese.com.au/media-centre/aukus-partnership-statement.

³²“Remarks on AUKUS to ALP National Conference,” Prime Minister of Australia, August 18, 2023, https://www.pm.gov.au/media/remarks-aukus-alp-national-conference.

³³“Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress,” Australian Ministry of Defence, December 15, 2023, https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-12-15/passage-priority-aukus-submarine-and-export-control-exemption-legislation-united-states-congress.

³⁴“Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023,” Parliament of Australia, November 30, 2023, https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_LEGislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7121.

2.1 - Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Joint Statement on AUKUS (September 16, 2021)

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2.2 - Australia National Interest Analysis (Novermber 22, 2021)

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2.3 - Report 199 - Australian Parliament (December 2021)

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2.4 - Australian Government Brochures (2021-2022)

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2.5 - Media Release by the Hon Anthony Albanese Prime Minister on Australian Strategic Research Agency (April 28, 2022)

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2.6 - Statement by the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, ‘AUKUS Won’t Undermine Australia’s Stance Against Nuclear Weapons’ (January 23, 2023)

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2.7 - Joint Media Statement by the Western Australian Government - Western Australia Home for Australia's First Nuclear-powered Submarines (March 14, 2023)

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2.8 - Optimal Pathway Fact Sheet, Australian Submarine Agency (March 2023)

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2.9 - Joint Media Release, Richard Marles, Minister for Defence and Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister - AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarine Pathway (March 14, 2023)

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2.10 - Statement by the Prime Minister, the Hon, Anthony Albanese and the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Richard Marles - AUKUS Submarine Workforce and Industry Strategy (March 14, 2023)

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2.11 - Joint Media Release from Ministers for Defence, Foreign Affairs, Defence Industry, Skills and Training, and Education - Commonwealth and South Australia Sign Submarine Cooperation Agreement(March 15, 2023)

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2.12 - Media Transcript from Minister for Defence Industry - AUKUS Agreement and the Hunter Defence Industry, (March 20, 2023)

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2.13 - Statement by the Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister and Richard Males, Minister for Defence - Release of Australia’s Defence Strategic Review (April 24, 2023)

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2.14 - Australia’s National Defence: Defence Strategic Review 2023 (April 2023)

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2.15 - Joint Media Release from Ministers for Defence, Education, Skills and Training, Defence Industry, and the Pacific - New Investment in Skills Paves the Way for AUKUS Workforce (May 16, 2023)

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2.16 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - AUKUS Partners Demonstrate Advanced Capabilities AI Trial (May 26, 2023)

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2.17 - Defence Legislation Amendment - Naval Nuclear Propulsion Bill 2023 (June 22, 2023)

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2.18 - Statement by Australian Submarine Agency - New Agency to Oversee Acquisition of Nuclear-powered Submarines (July 6, 2023)

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2.19 - Article by Australian Submarine Agency - HMAS Stirling welcomes USS North Carolina (August 4, 2023)

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2.20 - Joint Statement by the Minister for Defence, Richard Marles and the Minister for Education, Jason Clare - 4,000 More Uni Places for AUKUS Workforce (September 1, 2023 )

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2.21 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Australian Industry Learning Nuclear-powered Submarines in the UK (November 4, 2023)

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2.22 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Uncrewed Undersea Capabilities Strengthen AUKUS Partnership (November 10, 2023)

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2.23 - Statement by Australian Ministry of Defence - Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023 (November 30, 2023)

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2.24 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - New Legislation to Unlock Billions of Dollars for AUKUS Industry Partners (November 30, 2023)

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2.25 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Australian Hull Steel for Australian SSN-AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarines (December 9, 2023)

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2.26 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Visit to the United States for Defence Industry Talks and Annual Ministerial Development Dialogue (December 10, 2023)

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2.27 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress (December 15, 2023)

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Chapter 3

United Kingdom Official Statements and Documents

In the early days of AUKUS, the United Kingdom provided fewer official documents on the partnership, though those of particular importance are included below. One of the most significant developments for the UK’s foreign and defence policy in the past year was the release of its Integrated Review Refresh in March 2023, the successor of the 2021 Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Foreign Policy and Development.³⁵ The Refresh document was released in order to reflect on the significant changes to the geopolitical landscape that had followed the release of the 2021 Integrated Review – including sharpening tensions with China, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis, and energy pressures.

Like its American and Australian partners, the British government has increasingly focused on the issue of securing supply chains for critical minerals and strategic technologies in order to operationalise AUKUS. The United Kingdom is also working bilaterally with Australia on the area of critical minerals and, in April 2023, London and Canberra signed a joint UK-Australia pledge to secure future supplies of critical minerals and also inaugurate a new British Consulate-General in Perth.

In August 2023, the British parliament published two documents that serve to provide a holistic summary of the AUKUS agreement from the British perspective: the first is a Research Briefing on Pillar I: the SSN-AUKUS submarine program; the second is a Research Briefing on Pillar II: the Advanced Capabilities. There were also various debates in Parliament that focused on all aspects of the AUKUS agreement, with particular focus on Pillar I and how it will impact the United Kingdom, including the revitalisation of the military industrial base. In August 2023, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee – controlled by the governing Conservative party – released a report focused on the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific, which included a recommendation that Japan and South Japan join AUKUS. In addition, the report recommended that the United Kingdom strengthen its relationship with Australia.

Underscoring the momentum taking place within the AUKUS partnership, in October 2023 representatives from Australia and the United Kingdom joined Royal Navy personnel in Faslane, Scotland to develop skills for the maintenance of nuclear-powered submarines. This was the first joint AUKUS visit to support the development of the Australian submarine maintenance force.

³⁵“Integrated Review Refresh 2023: Responding to a More Contested and Volatile World,” UK Government, March 2023, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1145586/11857435_NS_IR_Refresh_2023_Supply_AllPages_Revision_7_WEB_PDF.pdf.

3.1 - The AUKUS Agreement, Research Briefing – House of Commons Library (October 11, 2021)

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3.2 - Impact on Anglo-Chinese Relations Following the AUKUS Pact, Research Briefing – House of Commons Library (October 15, 2021)

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3.3 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS, Volume 719 (September 6, 2022)

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3.4 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Submarines, Volume 727 (January 30, 2023)

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3.5 - UK Integrated Review Refresh 2023: Responding to a More Contested and Volatile World (March 2023)

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3.6 - Media Release by Ministry of Defence - British-led Design Chosen for AUKUS Submarine Project, (March 13, 2023)

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3.7 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Defence Partnership, Volume 729 (March 14, 2023)

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3.8 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Defence Partnership, Volume 828 (March 16, 2023)

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3.9 - Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero Press Release: UK Charges Up Ties with Western Australia in New Critical Minerals Pledge (April 4, 2023)

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3.10 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Submarine Project, Volume 732 (May 15, 2023)

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3.11 - Media Release by Ministry of Defence and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory - World First as UK Hosts Inaugural AUKUS AI and Autonomy Trial (May 26, 2023)

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3.12 - Department for Business & Trade, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Prime Minister’s Office: The Atlantic Declaration (June 21, 2023)

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3.13 - Parliament Debate on Nuclear Submarines: AUKUS, Volume 831, Volume 831 (July 3, 2023)

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3.14 - Foreign Affairs Committee Report on Tilting Horizons: The Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific (August 30, 2023)

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3.15 - Media Release by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - AUKUS Partners’ Statement to the IAEA Board of Governors (September 15, 2023)

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3.16 - Media Release by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - IAEA Board on Naval Nuclear Propulsion: AUKUS Partners Update (September 15, 2023)

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3.17 - Media Release by Ministry of Defence - £4 Billion UK Contracts Progresses AUKUS Submarine Design (October 1, 2023)

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3.18 - Media Release by Ministry of Defence - AUKUS Personnel Collaborate on UK Submarines for Future Security (October 6, 2023)

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3.19 - Defence Committee Report on UK Defence and the Indo-Pacific (October 17, 2023)

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3.20 - Media Release by Ministry of Defence, Submarine Delivery Agency, and the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP - Grant Shapps and Richard Marles Visit Key Nuclear Site (November 3, 2023)

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3.21 - AUKUS Pillar 2: Advanced Capabilities Programmes, Research Briefing – House of Commons Library (November 9, 2023)

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3.22 - Media Release by Ministry of Defence - New Undersea Capability to Strengthen AUKUS Partnership (November 13, 2023)

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3.23 - AUKUS Submarine (SSN-A) Programme, Research Briefing – House of Commons Library (November 22, 2023)

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3.24 - Media Release by Defence Science and Technology Laboratory - Dstl AI Success with AUKUS (December 15, 2023)

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Chapter 4

United States Official Statements and Documents

This section includes documents of American statements on AUKUS, with sourcing from the Department of Defense, Department of State, Office of the President, and both chambers of Congress. Within these documents, American officials outline the American position on AUKUS in regard to trilateral cooperation, regional interaction, and its success. Many of these statements include dialogue from leaders of AUKUS partners, reflecting the collaborative efforts of AUKUS partners to achieve goals like those laid out in the Optimal Pathway.

Statements from American officials track all aspects of AUKUS integration into existing American institutions of defense and foreign policy. This includes statements reflecting on the inception of AUKUS and its relevance to regional stability, in addition to those discussing how these goals will be realized – from budget allocation to increased American port visits to Australia.

The section also includes landmark strategic and budget documents that have direct implications on AUKUS, such as the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, passed in December 2023, which included several key AUKUS-enabling provisions.³⁶

³⁶“Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress,” Australian Ministry of Defence, December 15, 2023, https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-12-15/passage-priority-aukus-submarine-and-export-control-exemption-legislation-united-states-congress.

4.1 - Background Press Call on AUKUS (September 15, 2021)

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4.2 - Message to Congress on AUKUS (December 1, 2021)

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4.3 - Congressional Research Service Report - AUKUS Nuclear Cooperation (December 11, 2021)

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4.4 - Readout by Department of State - Secretary Blinken’s Trilateral Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Payne and UK Foreign Secretary Truss on AUKUS (February 19, 2022)

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4.5 - Congressional AUKUS Working Group Announcement (April 1, 2022)

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4.6 - White House Fact Sheet - Implementation of the AUKUS Partnership (April 5, 2022)

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4.7 - Congressional AUKUS Working Group Announcement (April 6, 2022)

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4.8 - Congressional Research Service Report - AUKUS and Indo-Pacific Security (May 19, 2022)

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4.9 - Australia – US Submarine Officer Pipeline Act (June 13, 2022)

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4.10 - Statement by Acting Pentagon Press Secretary on AUKUS Senior Adviser (July 29, 2022)

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4.11 - US National Security Strategy (October 2022)

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4.12 - US National Defense Strategy (October 2022)

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4.13 - Media Release by Department of Defense - Austin Says Progress Made on Developing Australia's Nuclear-Powered Subs (December 7, 2022)

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4.14 - Congressional Letter to President Biden on AUKUS (January 10, 2023)

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4.15 - Media Release by House Armed Services Committee Reiterating Strong Bipartisan Support for AUKUS (January 11, 2023)

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4.16 - Media Release by Department of Defense - Austin Notes Progress on Development of Australia's Nuclear-Powered Sub (February 3, 2023)

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4.17 - Department of State Fact Sheet - Marking One Year Since the Release of the Administration’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (February 13, 2023)

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4.18 - White House Fact Sheet - Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines (March 13, 2023)

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4.19 - Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III - AUKUS Optimal Pathway (March 13, 2023)

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4.20 - Statement by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken - AUKUS Leaders’ Announcement (March 13, 2023)

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4.21 - Statement by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member - Risch: AUKUS Pillar One a Good Start, More To Be Done (March 13, 2023)

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4.22 - Special Briefing with State and Defense Department Officials on AUKUS (March 14, 2023)

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4.23 - Press Briefing with State Department and National Security Council Officials on AUKUS (March 14, 2023)

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4.24 - Media Release by Department of Defense - AUKUS Plan Looks to Shore up Deterrence, Promote Stability (March 14, 2023)

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4.25 - Statement by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman - McCaul Speaks on House Floor in Support of Deterring China Through AUKUS Bill (March 24, 2023)

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4.26 - Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III - Australia’s Defence Strategic Review (April 24, 2023)

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4.27 - Statement by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member - Risch, Hagerty Introduce TORPEDO Act (May 5, 2023)

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4.28 - Senate Appropriations Full Committee Hearing - A Review of the President’s FY24 Budget Request (May 16, 2023)

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4.29 - House Foreign Affairs Full Committee Hearing - Modernizing US Arms Exports and a Stronger AUKUS (May 24, 2023)

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4.30 - Media Release by Department of Defense - AUKUS Partners Demonstrate Advanced Capabilities Trial (May 26, 2023)

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4.31 - Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the Shangri-La Dialogue (June 2, 2023)

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4.32 - Congressional Research Service Report - AUKUS Pillar 2: Background and Issues for Congress (June 20, 2023)

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4.33 - Media Release by Department of Defense - CNO: AUKUS Builds Upon Three Nations' Close Naval Ties (June 26, 2023)

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4.34 - Department of State Fact Sheet - The AUKUS Trade Authorization Mechanism (July 10, 2023)

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4.35 - Statement by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman on Approval of Amendment Strengthening AUKUS Partnership, (July 13, 2023)

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4.36 - Statement by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member on AUKUS Legislation (July 13, 2023)

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4.37 - Release by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman on Bilateral Resilience in Industry Trade Security (BRITS) Act (July 21, 2023)

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4.38 - Statement by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman on Passage of National Defense Legislation (July 27, 2023)

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4.39 - Statement by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member - AUKUS Succeeds If US Eases Defense Regulations for Allies (July 27, 2023)

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4.40 - Senate Foreign Relations Full Committee Hearing - AUKUS: A Generational Opportunity to Deepen Our Security Partnerships with Australia and the United Kingdom (September 6, 2023)

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4.41 - Media Release by Department of Defense - DOD Official Says AUKUS Partnership Strengthens Indo-Pacific Security (September 6, 2023)

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4.42 - Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Statement - Two-Year Anniversary of AUKUS (September 15, 2023)

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4.43 - House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces Hearing - The Submarine Industrial Base and Its Ability to Support the AUKUS Framework (October 25, 2023)

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4.44 - Media Release by Department of Defence - Karlin Says U.S. Can Support AUKUS Submarine Builds (October 25, 2023)

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4.45 - Statement by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman on Australian Prime Minister's Visit to Washington (October 26, 2023)

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4.46 - Congressional Research Service Report - US Arms Transfer Restrictions and AUKUS Cooperation (November 15, 2023)

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4.47 - Congressional Research Service Report - AUKUS Nuclear Cooperation (November 15, 2023)

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4.48 - Remarks by Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security on AUKUS (November 27, 2023)

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4.49 - Media Release by Department of Defence - DOD Plans Indo-Pacific Innovation Challenge (December 1, 2023)

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4.50 - Media Release by US Space Force on AUKUS Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability Initiative (December 2, 2023)

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4.51 - Congressional Research Service Report - Navy Virginia-Class Submarine Program and AUKUS Submarine Proposal (December 13, 2023)

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4.52 - FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (December 13, 2023)

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Chapter 5

International Official Statements and Documents

The documents in this chapter include official statements from foreign governments, embassy, or national leaders, as well as intergovernmental organizations, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), addressing their own perspectives on AUKUS trilateral nuclear cooperation. The time frame ranges from the creation (September 15, 2021) to the second anniversary of AUKUS (September 15, 2023).

China published seven remarks specifically on AUKUS, expressing grave concern and asserting that AUKUS is illegal and hypocritical. Russia did not publish any official statement targeting AUKUS, but one interview of Vladimir Putin and his two addresses referred to AUKUS as an aggressive, block-creating effort by the West. China and Russia released a joint statement on their shared interests in a variety of issues, condemning AUKUS an effort to undermine security and sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan released two bilateral joint statements with Australia, one trilateral joint statement with the United States and Australia at the ministerial level, and four ambassador-level statements, reiterating its consistent support for AUKUS as security cooperation based on non-proliferation.

The Philippines released a statement urging AUKUS to align with existing regional cooperations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and follow the global non-proliferation standard set by the IAEA. Vietnam remarked that it hoped AUKUS will contribute to regional peace, stability, cooperation, and development. Malaysia fully supported AUKUS in its first statement and urged the AUKUS members and concerning parties to comply with the existing non-proliferation regime and norms in its second statement. Indonesia expressed deep concerns over the arms race and power projection in the region in an official statement.

Finally, the IAEA released two Board Reports regarding AUKUS, and the Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the IAEA announced a counter statement on the joint announcement by the AUKUS members in March 2023, emphasizing the importance of non-proliferation and each member’s respective safeguards agreements and additional protocols.

5.1 - CHINA: Statement by H.E. Ambassador Wang Qun on the Trilateral Nuclear Submarine Cooperation under AUKUS (November 26, 2021)

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5.2 - CHINA: Chinese Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Cooperation (September 20, 2022)

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5.3 - CHINA: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Remarks on the AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Cooperation (March 23, 2023)

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5.4 - CHINA: Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Cooperation (1) (April 9, 2023)

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5.5 - CHINA: Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Cooperation (2) (April 9, 2023)

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5.6 - CHINA: Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Cooperation (3) (April 9, 2023)

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5.7 - CHINA: Embassy Spokesperson’s Remarks on AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Cooperation (4) (April 9, 2023)

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5.8 - RUSSIA: President Putin Interview with CNBC at the Russian Energy Week Forum (October 14, 2021)

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5.9 - RUSSIA: President Putin Address at the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security (August 16, 2022)

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5.10 - RUSSIA: President Putin Address at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security (August 15, 2023)

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5.11 - CHINA & RUSSIA: Joint Statement on International Relations Entering a New Era and the Global Sustainable Development (February 4, 2022)

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5.12 - JAPAN: Statement by Ambassador Hikihara Takeshi at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting on Item 5: Transfer of Nuclear Materials in the Context of AUKUS and Its Safeguards in All Aspects under the NPT (November 26, 2021)

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5.13 - JAPAN: Australia-Japan Leaders’ Meeting Joint Statement (January 6, 2022)

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5.14 - JAPAN: Statement by Ambassador Hikihara Takeshi at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting on Item 15: Any Other Business (AUKUS) (June 6, 2022)

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5.15 - JAPAN: Statement by Ambassador Hikihara Takeshi at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting on Item 8(d): Agency Safeguards in the Context of Nuclear Naval Propulsion under AUKUS (September 12, 2022)

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5.16 - JAPAN: Australia-Japan Leaders’ Meeting Joint Statement (October 22, 2022)

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5.17 - JAPAN: Statement by Ambassador Hikihara Takeshi at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting on Item 12: Any Other Business (AUKUS) (March 10, 2023)

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5.18 - JAPAN: United States-Japan-Australia Trilateral Defense Ministers' Meeting (TDMM) 2023 Joint Statement (June 3, 2023)

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5.19 - PHILIPPINES: Statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the Recent AUKUS Announcement (March 15, 2023)

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5.20 - VIETNAM: Remarks by the Vice Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang on AUKUS (March 17, 2023)

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5.21 - MALAYSIA: Response to Announcement of AUKUS (September 19, 2021)

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5.22 - MALAYSIA: Response to AUKUS Joint Leaders' Statement (March 14, 2023)

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5.23 - INDONESIA: Statement on Australia’s Nuclear-powered Submarines Program (September 17, 2021)

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5.24 - IAEA: AUKUS Statements from IAEA Board of Governors (June 2022)

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5.25 - IAEA: Board Report, IAEA Safeguards in Relation to AUKUS (September 9, 2022)

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5.26 - IAEA: Director General Statement in Relation to AUKUS Announcement (March 14, 2023)

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5.27 - IAEA: Board Report, Naval Nuclear Propulsion - Australia (May 31, 2023)

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Chapter 6

Notable News and Commentary

The below compilation, while not exhaustive, aims to provide a relatively comprehensive survey of news and commentary on AUKUS since its initial announcement in September 2021 through mid-December 2023. The collection is organized into seven topical categories, with entries in each category organized chronologically:

Internal, Regional and International Reactions to AUKUS
Strategic Implications of AUKUS
AUKUS Pillar 1 Progress, Challenges & Perspectives
AUKUS Pillar 2 Progress, Challenges & Perspectives
Export Controls
Workforce Demands & Development
Nuclear Nonproliferation

In cases where articles touched on multiple topics, we selected what we assessed to be the most relevant category. We have aimed to include a range of perspectives and sources, including a variety of publications both from and beyond the three AUKUS nations.

Internal, Regional, and International Reactions to AUKUS

AUKUS: China Denounces US-UK-Australia Pact as Irresponsible
Date: September 16, 2021
Publication: BBC

Is the AUKUS Alliance Meaningful or Merely Provocation?
Date: September 16, 2021
Author(s): Beyza Unal, Kerry Brown, Patricia Lewis, and Yu Jie
Publication: Chatham House

AUKUS – Winners and Losers of the Trilateral Defense Technical Agreement
Date: September 17, 2021
Author(s): Diana Villiers Negroponte
Publication: Wilson Center

‘Like a Scene From Le Carré’: How the Nuclear Submarine Pact Was No 10’s Biggest Secret
Date: September 18, 2021
Author(s): Larisa Brown
Publication: The Times

AUKUS is a Big Deal, but Needs to be Put in Perspective
Date: September 20, 2021
Author(s): Bates Gill
Publication: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)

Australia Seeks to Calm ASEAN Nerves Over AUKUS, Nuclear Weapons
Date: September 21, 2021
Author(s): Kentaro Iwamoto
Publication: Nikkei Asian Review

Experts React: The AUKUS Deal Has Shaken the Transatlantic Alliance. What Should the US and Its Allies Do Now?
Date: September 21, 2021
Publication: Atlantic Council

Europe’s Response to the U.S.-UK-Australia Submarine Deal: What to Know
Date: September 22, 2021
Author(s): Charles A. Kupchan
Publication: Council on Foreign Relations

Australia Must Take Southeast Asian Reactions to AUKUS Seriously
Date: September 22, 2021
Author(s): Susannah Patton
Publication: United States Studies Centre

China Has Only Itself to Blame for AUKUS
Date: September 24, 2021
Author(s): Charles Edel
Publication: Foreign Policy

AUKUS: France’s Strategic Outcry
Date: September 24, 2021
Author(s): Eglantine Staunton
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

AUKUS: Good Goals, Bad Implementation
Date: September 27, 2021
Author(s): Bradley Bowman and Mark Montgomery
Publication: DefenseOne

China’s AUKUS Response Highlights Beijing’s Bunker Mentality
Date: September 30, 2021
Author(s): Bonnie Girard
Publication: The Diplomat

Southeast Asian Responses to AUKUS: Arms Racing, Non-Proliferation and Regional Stability
Date: October 14, 2021
Author(s): William Choong and Ian Storey
Publication: ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute

AUKUS: Why Beijing Didn’t Go Ballistic
Date: October 14, 2021
Author(s): Jia Deng
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

Indonesia and Malaysia Reiterate Concerns About AUKUS Pact
Date: October 19, 2021
Author(s): Sebastian Strangio
Publication: The Diplomat

What’s All the RAUKUS About? The View from Australia
Date: October 27, 2021
Author(s): Veerle Nouwens
Publication: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)

AUKUS and Australia’s Relations in the Pacific
Date: November 04, 2021
Author(s): Soli Middleby, Anna Powles, and Joanne Wallis
Publication: East Asia Forum

It’s AUKUS, Not A(UK)US
Date: November 10, 2021
Author(s): Euan Graham
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

Japan ‘More Than Willing’ to Help Ensure AUKUS Success
Date: November 12, 2021
Author(s): Jack Norton
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

Japan’s Ambivalent AUKUS Response
Date: November 16, 2021
Author(s): Tsuruoka Michito
Publication: The Diplomat

What’s All the RAUKUS About? Southeast Asia’s Mixed Response
Date: November 24, 2021
Author(s): Veerle Nouwens
Publication: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)

AUKUS: Why Britain Was the Big Winner
Date: December 2, 2021
Author(s): David Camroux
Publication: The Diplomat

What’s All the RAUKUS About? Japan’s Ambivalence and Looming Reality Check
Date: December 8, 2021
Author(s): Veerle Nouwens
Publication: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)

Changing My Mind About AUKUS
Date: December 16, 2021
Author(s): Sam Roggeveen
Publication: War on the Rocks

What’s All the RAUKUS About? The View from Washington
Date: December 22, 2021
Author(s): Veerle Nouwens
Publication: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)

AUKUS, Alliance Coordination, and South Korea
Date: January 4, 2022
Author(s): Sea Young (Sarah) Kim
Publication: Korea Economic Institute of America

Australia, Britain Work on Advancing AUKUS Deal as China’s Clout Grows
Date: January 21, 2022
Publication: South China Morning Post

Is ‘AUKUS Plus’ a Viable Option?
Date: January 26, 2022
Author(s): Jagannath Panda
Publication: The Diplomat

The Quad and AUKUS Show Messy, Creative Democracies Hard at Work
Date: February 14, 2022
Author(s): Michael Shoebridge
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS: France Drops Australia as Key Indo-Pacific Partner after Sub Snub
Date: February 23, 2022
Publication: South China Morning Post

Southeast Asians’ View of Quad and AUKUS: Some Thaw, But Not Yet Warm
Date: February 23, 2022
Author(s): William Choong
Publication: Fulcrum

Reframing France’s Relationship With AUKUS
Date: March 18, 2022
Author(s): Simmi Saini Wittlåck
Publication: Institute for Security and Development Policy — ISDP Voices

Making AUKUS Work
Date: March 22, 2022
Author(s): Jennifer Moroney and Alan Tidwell
Publication: RAND

Is AUKUS Really an ‘Alliance’?
Date: April 1, 2022
Author(s): Thomas Wilkins
Publication: National University of Singapore — Institute of South Asian Studies

ASPI AUKUS Update 1: May 2022
Date: May 2022
Author(s): Marcus Hellyer and Ben Stevens
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — Strategic Insights

Making Australia Fit for AUKUS
Date: May 4, 2022
Author(s): Lesley Seebeck
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — Strategic Insights

AUKUS: Australia’s New PM Vows ‘Reset’ with France After Submarine Row
Date: June 24, 2022
Author(s): Tiffanie Turnbull
Publication: BBC News

Australian Defense Minister: AUKUS Subs a Huge Project to ‘Pull Off’
Date: July 7, 2022
Author(s): Richard R. Burgess
Publication: Seapower Magazine

Beijing Warns AUKUS Submarine Project Sets a ‘Dangerous Precedent’ and Threatens Non-Proliferation
Date: July 21, 2022
Author(s): Stephen Dziedzic
Publication: ABC News

Marles’ Alliance Rapture Discards Australia’s Self-Reliance
Date: July 24, 2022
Author(s): James Curran
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

French Navy Warns AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Plan Will Be ‘Much More Difficult’ for Australia
Date: July 24, 2022
Author(s): Andrew Greene
Publication: ABC News

What China’s Condemnation of AUKUS Says About Beijing
Date: July 28, 2022
Author(s): Ron Huisken
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)- The Strategist

Indonesia Criticizes Submarine Loophole in Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty That Underpins AUKUS Deal
Date: July 29, 2022
Author(s): Stephen Dziedzic
Publication: ABC News

Has Southeast Asia Warmed to AUKUS One Year On?
Date: September 13, 2022
Author(s): Melissa Conley Tyler
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

ASEAN’s Responses to AUKUS: Implications for Strategic Realignments in the Indo-Pacific
Date: November 27, 2022
Author(s): Mingjiang Li
Publication: China International Strategy Review

With AUKUS, Australia Has Wedded Itself to a Risky US Policy on China – and Turned a Deaf Ear to the Region
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Matt Fitzpatrick
Publication: The Conversation

‘AUKUS Created for Fighting’: Push for Indonesia to Refuse Access to Subs
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Chris Barrett and Karuni Rompies
Publication: The Sydney Morning Herald

Why AUKUS Is Australia’s New ‘Great Leap Forward’
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Andrew Tillett
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Penny Wong Hits Back at China’s Claim AUKUS Nuclear Submarines Will Fuel an Arms Race
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

AUKUS Reaction: Some Companies Support, Some Criticise Sub Deal
Date: March 14, 2023
Publication: Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter

Buckle Up! China May Propose New Anti-AUKUS Military Alliance Very Soon
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Craig Hooper
Publication: Forbes

The AUKUS Submarines Will Never Happen
Date: March 15, 2023
Author(s): Hugh White
Publication: The Saturday Paper

AUKUS Statement by PJ Keating, The National Press Club
Date: March 15, 2023
Author(s): Paul Keating
Publication: paulkeating.net.au

AUKUS and the Drive to War with China: Special Issue
Date: March 15, 2023
Author(s): John Menadue and Aran Martin
Publication: Pearls and Irritations

‘Path of Error and Danger’: China Angry and Confused Over AUKUS Deal
Date: March 16, 2023
Author(s): Amy Hawkins
Publication: The Guardian

The AUKUS Plan: A Grand Bargain with Significant Risks
Date: March 16, 2023
Author(s): Nick Childs, Euan Graham, and Ben Schreer
Publication: International Institute for Strategic Studies

As Australia Signs up for Nuclear Subs, NZ Faces Hard Decisions over the AUKUS Alliance
Date: March 16, 2023
Author(s): Nicholas Khoo
Publication: The Conversation

The United States, Britain, and Australia Announce the Path Forward for AUKUS
Date: March 16, 2023
Author(s): Charles Edel
Publication: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Paul Keating Can Be His Own Worst Enemy But His AUKUS Spray Raises Big Questions About China, Defence, That Have Slipped Us By
Date: March 17, 2023
Author(s): Laura Tingle
Publication: ABC News (Australia)

AUKUS Subs Deal Binds Us to a Country That Can Change Its Mind on Whim
Date: March 18, 2023
Author(s): Clinton Fernandes
Publication: The Sydney Morning Herald

The AUKUS Deal Is a Crime Against the World’s Climate Future. It Didn’t Have to Be Like This
Date: March 19, 2023
Author(s): Jeff Sparrow
Publication: The Guardian

The Three Big Questions Australia’s Leaders Must Answer About the AUKUS Deal
Date: March 20, 2023
Author(s): Gareth Evans
Publication: The Guardian

AUKUS Subs Deal Draws Mixed Reactions in Region Baffled by ‘Indo-Pacific’ Label
Date: March 23, 2023
Author(s): Stephen Wright
Publication: BenarNews

AUKUS Gets Awkward Down Under
Date: March 24, 2023
Author(s): Maddison Connaughton
Publication: Foreign Policy

If At First You Don’t Succeed: Australia Woos the Indo-Pacific on AUKUS
Date: April 10, 2023
Author(s): Blake Herzinger and Alice Nason
Publication: Fulcrum

Why China Should Worry About Asia’s Reaction to AUKUS
Date: April 15, 2023
Author(s): Derek Grossman
Publication: RAND

Pacific Responses to AUKUS a Mix of Unease and Understanding
Date: April 18, 2023
Author(s): Dechlan Brennan
Publication: The Diplomat

Making Sense of Cambodia’s Reaction to AUKUS
Date: April 18, 2023
Author(s): Chansambath Bong
Publication: Fulcrum

AUKUS Is a Big Deal, and Big Deals Should Lead to Big Debates
Date: April 28, 2023
Author(s): James Carouso
Publication: Center for Strategic and International Studies

AUKUS Pillar II and Relations Between Australia and ASEAN
Date: May 10, 2023
Author(s): Muhammad Faizal Bin Abdul Rahman
Publication: The Jakarta Post

An Open Letter to the Australian Government from Concerned Scholars Regarding the AUKUS Agreement
Date: May 24, 2023
Author(s): Vince Scappatura, Mark Beeson, Albert Palazzo, et. al.
Publication: Pearls and Irritations

Strong Opposition Voiced Over Submarine Program
Date: May 29, 2023
Author(s): Karl Wilson
Publication: China Daily

AUKUS and the Labor Tradition: Has Albanese Completed or Betrayed the Curtin Legacy?
Date: June 2023
Author(s): David Lee
Publication: ARENA

Illusory Imperatives: AUKUS Commits Us to Futile Wars; An Independent Defence Is Possible
Date: June 2023
Author(s): Clinton Fernandes
Publication: ARENA

America’s Asia Tsar Doubted Australia
Date: July 5, 2023
Author(s): James Curran
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Tracking the Evolution of Pacific Island Sentiment Towards AUKUS
Date: July 28, 2023
Author(s): Blake Johnson and Luisa Gyhn
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

The AUKUS Deal Will Be Hotly Debated at the ALP National Conference, but Its Real Vulnerabilities Lie in America
Date: August 15, 2023
Author(s): Matthew Sussex
Publication: The Conversation

Marles Moves to Douse ‘Damaging’ Labor AUKUS Dissent
Date: August 17, 2023
Author(s): Phillip Coorey
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Labor Thrashes out AUKUS Position at Party Conference Amid Dissent from MP and Unions
Date: August 18, 2023
Author(s): Paul Karp
Publication: The Guardian

The Defence Dilemma Facing NZ’s Next Government: Stay Independent or Join ‘Pillar 2’ of AUKUS?
Date: August 22, 2023
Author(s): Robert G. Patman
Publication: The Conversation

The Social Licence for AUKUS Has Not Yet Been Earned
Date: August 25, 2023
Author(s): Peter K. Lee, Alice Nason, and Sophie Mayo
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

Canada and New Zealand Need to Consider Joining Pillar 2 of AUKUS
Date: September 21, 2023
Author(s): Guy C. Charlton and Xiang Gao
Publication: The Diplomat

Why AUKUS Is Here to Stay, Despite Looming Roadblocks
Date: September 17, 2023
Author(s): Srdjan Vucetic
Publication: The Conversation

AUKUS Consensus Is Collapsing under Weight of Labor Blunders
Date: September 26, 2023
Author(s): Bob Carr
Publication: Pearls and Irritations

AUKUS’s Three Pillars of Uncertainty: Sovereignty, Strategy and Costs
Date: October 23, 2023
Author(s): Nishank Motwani
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

‘Difficult and Expensive’: US Report Raises AUKUS Doubts after Joe Biden Reassures Anthony Albanese at White House
Date: October 27, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

One Year from the 2024 US Presidential Election: The Stakes for Australia and the Alliance
Date: November 1, 2023
Author(s): Jared Mondschein, Victoria Cooper, Samuel Garrett, Ava Kalinauskas
Publication: United States Studies Centre

Australia Says AUKUS a Response to Arms Race, Not Fuel for It
Date: November 27, 2023
Publication: Reuters

Australia Praises US Congress Green Light for AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Sale
Date: December 14, 2023
Author(s): Kirsty Needham
Publication: Reuters

Strategic Implications of AUKUS

What is the AUKUS Alliance and What Are Its Implications?
Date: September 16, 2021
Author(s): Patrick Wintour
Publication: The Guardian

AUKUS Reveals Much About the New Global Strategic Context
Date: September 18, 2021
Author(s): Robin Niblett
Publication: Chatham House

The Strategic Reverberations of the AUKUS Deal Will Be Big and Lasting
Date: September 19, 2021
Publication: The Economist

Could the AUKUS Deal Strengthen Deterrence Against China—And Yet Come at a Real Cost to Australia?
Date: September 20, 2021
Author(s): James Curran
Publication: Council on Foreign Relations – Asia Unbound

What Does the AUKUS Deal Provide its Participants in Strategic Terms?
Date: September 20, 2021
Author(s): Sidharth Kaushal
Publication: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)

AUKUS, a Golden Opportunity for “Global Britain”?
Date: September 23, 2021
Author(s): Georgina Wright
Publication: Institut Montaigne

Far from Breaking with the Past, AUKUS Advances Australia’s Commitment to Collective Defence
Date: September 24, 2021
Author(s): Ashley Townshend
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS Reshapes the Strategic Landscape of the Indo-Pacific
Date: September 25, 2021
Publication: The Economist

AUKUS and the Winds of Change in the Indo-Pacific
Date: September 28, 2021
Author(s): Marvin Ott
Publication: Wilson Center

AUKUS Is Deeper Than Just Submarines
Date: September 29, 2021
Author(s): Arzan Tarapore
Publication: East Asia Forum

AUKUS: Resetting European Thinking on the Indo-Pacific?
Date: October 2021
Editor(s): Niklas Swanström and Jagannath Panda
Publication: Institute for Security & Development Policy

More Than Submarines: Implications of AUKUS in the Air Domain
Date: October 5, 2021
Author(s): Douglas D. Jackson
Publication: Council on Foreign Relations

In Defence of AUKUS
Date: October 5, 2021
Author(s): Oriana Skylar Mastro and Zack Cooper
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

AUKUS: Arms, Allies and the Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific
Date: October 6, 2021
Author(s): Yogesh Joshi
Publication: Institute of South Asian Studies

The AUKUS Trade-off
Date: October 11, 2021
Author(s): Dana Allin and Erik Jones
Publication: International Institute for Strategic Studies

AUKUS and the Dawn of Realpolitik Minilateralism in the Indo-Pacific
Date: October 13, 2021
Author(s): Alessio Patalano
Publication: Nikkei Asian Review

AUKUS Spurs French Strategic Review with Tilt Toward Japan, India
Date: October 19, 2021
Author(s): Eri Sugiura
Publication: Nikkei Asian Review

America Is Turning Asia Into a Powder Keg: The Perils of a Military-First Approach
Date: October 22, 2021
Author(s): Van Jackson
Publication: Foreign Affairs

The Unintended Consequences of the AUKUS Deal
Date: October 29, 2021
Author(s): Lyle Goldstein
Publication: DefenseNews

What Drove the United States to AUKUS?
Date: November 3, 2021
Author(s): Charles Edel
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

The AUKUS Trilateral Security Partnership and What It Means for Australia
Date: November 15, 2021
Author(s): Thomas Wilkins
Publication: Sasakawa Peace Foundation

After the AUKUS Crisis, Are France-U.S. Relations Back on Track?
Date: November 16, 2021
Author(s): Pierre Macros
Publication: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Why Did AUKUS Happen? Because the World Changed
Date: November 24, 2021
Author(s): Michael Shoebridge
Publication: The International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS)

AUKUS, Japan and the Indo-Pacific: Strategic Rationales and Challenges
Date: November 2021
Author(s): Michito Tsuroka
Publication: European University Institute

What Is AUKUS and What Is It Not?
Date: December 2021
Author(s): Michael Shoebridge
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)

AUKUS: Why Britain Was the Big Winner
Date: December 2, 2021
Author(s): David Camroux
Publication: The Diplomat

AUKUS and the Indo-Pacific: Stakeholders Weigh their Wins and Losses
Date: December 10, 2021
Author(s): Harsh V. Pant and Rahul Kamath
Publication: Observer Research Foundation

SPECIAL REPORT: U.S., Australia Increasing Tech Transfer to Take on China
Date: December 10, 2021
Author(s): Yasmin Tadjdeh
Publication: National Defense

AUKUS Short- and Long-Term Implications for Taiwan
Date: December 28, 2021
Author(s): Fu S. Mei
Publication: Pacific Forum – PacNet

Australia’s AUKUS Opportunity: Fixing National to Tactical
Date: January 3, 2022
Publication: Australian Defence Business Review

Reshaping the Indo-Pacific Construct through Strategic Geopolitical Convergences: AUKUS as a Harbinger of a Multipolar Hegemony in the Religion
Date: January 20, 2022
Author(s): Rashi Randev
Publication: Air University – Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs

Between AUKUS and the Quad: Scaling European Interest in the Indo-Pacific
Date: February 2022
Author(s): Jagannath Panda
Publication: The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies

AUKUS, The QUAD and the EU: Inclusive and Exclusive Visions for the Info-Pacific
Date: March 18, 2022
Author(s): Rory Medcalf
Publication: Italian Institute for International Political Studies

AUKUS Can Be a Good Platform for Cooperation with India
Date: April 4, 2022
Author(s): David Brewster
Publication: Lowy Institute — The Interpreter

The Case for ‘JAUKUS’
Date: April 15, 2022
Author(s): Philip Shetler-Jones
Publication: Japan Forward

AUKUS and the Eastern Indo-Pacfic’s Evolving Security Architecture
Date: May 10, 2022
Author(s): Girish Luthra
Publication: Observer Research Foundation

AUKUS: More Than Meets the Eye
Date: May 17, 2022
Author(s): Jada Fraser
Publication: Low Institute — The Interpreter

How Much Will AUKUS Change Australia?
Date: May 24, 2022
Author(s): Zack Cooper
Publication: Marsh McLennan – Brink

The Quad and AUKUS Strengthen Australia’s Hand in a Contested Indo-Pacific
Date: June 1, 2022
Author(s): Thomas Wilkins
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

What Are the Lasting Impacts of the AUKUS Agreement?
Date: August 16, 2022
Author(s): Jamal Barnes, Samuel M. Makinda, Jo Hills
Publication: Chatham House

ASPI AUKUS Update 2: September 2022
Date: September 2022
Author(s): Malcolm Davis, Ben Stevens, Alex Bristow and Marcus Hellyer
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — Strategic Insights

AUKUS Submarines: A Capability in Search of a Strategy?
Date: September 20, 2022
Author(s): Richard Dunley
Publication: Australian Institute of International Affairs

AUKUS: New Opportunities for the United States and Its Closest Allies
Date: October 18, 2022
Author(s): Peter Jennings
Publication: The Heritage Foundation

Australia Will Control Nuclear Submarines in Any Conflict With AUKUS Partners, Albanese Says
Date: February 22, 2023
Author(s): Katharine Murphy and Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

AUKUS, the Anglosphere and the Return of Great Power Rivalry
Date: March 13, 2023
Author(s): Gideon Rachman
Publication: Financial Times

How the Submarine Deal Fits into the Complex U.S. Strategy for the Pacific
Date: March 13, 2023
Author(s): David Ignatius
Publication: Washington Post

What Are the Global Implications of the AUKUS Deal?
Date: March 13, 2023
Author(s): James M. Acton
Publication: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Around the Halls: AUKUS Defines an Emerging Alliance at Sea
Date: March 15, 2023
Author(s): Bruce Jones, Michael E. O’Hanlon, Ryan Hass, Amy J. Nelson, Tom Stefanick, Constanze Stelzenmüller, Caitlin Talmadge, and Andrew Yeo
Publication: Brookings

The Balance Sheet of the Nuclear Subs Deal
Date: March 16, 2023
Author(s): Peter Varghese
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

The AUKUS Plan: A Grand Bargain with Significant Risks
Date: March 16, 2023
Author(s): Nick Childs, Euan Graham, and Ben Schreer
Publication: International Institute for Strategic Studies

AUKUS: The Pillars of Hercules
Date: March 17, 2023
Author(s): Peter Tesch
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

AUKUS Commits Australia to Fight China If America Does, Simple
Date: March 22, 2023
Author(s): Hugh White
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

The AUKUS Debate Needs Clear Reasoning, Not Hot Air
Date: March 24, 2023
Author(s): Rory Medcalf
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

The Demands of AUKUS
Date: March 24, 2023
Author(s): Lesley Seebeck
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

AUKUS: Enhancing Undersea Deterrence
Date: March 26, 2023
Author(s):John Hemmings
Publication: Pacific Forum – PacNet

Fears AUKUS Will Undermine Australia’s Defence Sovereignty Are Misplaced
Date: March 28, 2023
Author(s): Peter K. Lee
Publication: The Conversation

Penny Wong’s Next Big Fight
Date: April 1, 2023
Author(s): Hugh White
Publication: The Monthly

Arguments Against AUKUS Don’t Hold Water
Date: April 1, 2023
Author(s): Peter Dean
Publication: United States Studies Centre

The AUKUS Gamble: Can Australia Rely on US Alliance to Secure Its Future in Asia Amid Rising China?
Date: April 22, 2023
Author(s): Hugh White
Publication: South China Morning Post

Defence Strategic Review: Strong Chords, with One Jarring Note
Date: April 24, 2023
Author(s): Sam Roggeveen
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

China’s Undersea Threat Is Growing but Our Subs Can Keep the Peace, Say Australia’s AUKUS Chief and UK Second Sea Lord
Date: May 18, 2023
Author(s): Gabriel Polychronis and Paul Starick
Publication: The Advertiser

AUKUS, Australia and China
Date: June 9, 2023
Author(s): Paul Keating
Publication: Pearls and Irritations

AUKUS Explained: How Will the Trilateral Pact Shape Indo-Pacific Security?
Date: June 12, 2023
Author(s): Lauren Kahn
Publication: Council on Foreign Relations

A Conversation with Dr. Kurt Campbell and Admiral Michael Gilday on the Strategic and Military Implications of AUKUS
Date: June 26, 2023
Publication: Center for Strategic and International Studies

AUKUS, Advanced Capabilities and Defense Integration in the Indo-Pacific
Date: July 25, 2023
Author(s): Monique Taylor
Publication: Institute for Security & Development Policy

AUKUS Subs Deal ‘Could Worsen US Shortfall, Blunt China Deterrence’
Date: August 21, 2023
Author(s): Andrew Tillett
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

AUKUS Gets Embedded but No Clear Rationale
Date: August 22, 2023
Author(s): James Curran
Publication: Pearls and Irritations

AUKUS as Morbid “Deterrence”
Date: September 2, 2023
Author(s): Ronald C. Keith
Publication: Pearls and Irritations

AUKUS Sparks a Revolution in Labor Defence Policy
Date: September 6, 2023
Author(s): Peter J. Dean and Kim Beazley
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

Australia and AUKUS into the 2030s
Date: September 14, 2023
Author(s): Thomas Wilkins
Publication: Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Taiwan Security Chief Says AUKUS, NATO Must Counter China Threat
Date: September 27, 2023
Author(s): Thompson Chau and Cheng Ting-Fang
Publication: Nikkei Asia

AUKUS Could Weaken China Deterrence, US Congress Research Paper Suggests
Date: October 4, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

The AUKUS Anvil: Promise and Peril
Date: October 5, 2023
Author(s): Nick Childs
Publication: International Institute for Strategic Studies

Australia’s Nuclear-Powered Submarines Should Make China Nervous
Date: October 25, 2023
Author(s): Kim Beazley
Publication: The National Interest

Why AUKUS Is in Danger of Stalling
Date: October 25, 2023
Author(s): John Lee
Publication: Foreign Policy

How AUKUS Plus Could Add to Indo-Pacific Coalition Building
Date: November 1, 2023
Author(s): Kei Koga
Publication: East Asia Forum

AUKUS Raises Questions That Go to the Heart of Australian Strategic Policy
Date: November 2, 2023
Author(s): Rod Lyon
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS Pillar 1 Progress, Challenges & Perspectives

SSN vs SSK
Date: September 29, 2021
Author(s): Hugh White
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

AUKUS: U.S. Navy Nuclear-powered Forward Presence Key to Australian Nuclear Submarine and China Deterrence
Date: October 12, 2021
Author(s): Brent Sadler
Publication: Heritage Foundation

AUKUS and Australia’s Nuclear Capabilities
Date: October 27, 2021
Author(s): Mercy A. Kuo
Publication: The Diplomat

Australia Signs Nuclear Propulsion Sharing Agreement with U.K., U.S.
Date: November 22, 2021
Author(s): Dzirhan Mahadzir
Publication: USNI News

AUKUS Partners Ready to Exchange Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information
Date: February 22, 2022
Author(s): Fatima Bahtić
Publication: Naval Today

Australia to Build Additional Submarine Base to Bolster Its Efforts Under AUKUS Pact
Date: March 7, 2022
Author(s): Fatima Bahtić
Publication: Naval Today

AUKUS Submarine Deal Gets a Boost in US Congress
Date: April 2, 2022
Author(s): Farrah Tomazin
Publication: The Sydney Morning Herald

Australia’s Transition to Nuclear-powered Submarines Could Run into the 2060s
Date: July 7, 2022
Author(s): Marcus Hellyer and Andrew Nicholls
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

Australia to Pick Nuclear Submarine Design in Early 2023, Says Official
Date: July 14, 2022
Author(s): Heather Mongilio
Publication: USNI News

Australia Almost No Chance to Buy Any Submarine from Current US Building Program, Experts Say
Date: July 20, 2022
Author(s): Tory Shepherd
Publication: The Guardian

How to Bridge the Capability Gap in Australia’s Transition to Nuclear-Powered Submarines
Date: July 21, 2022
Author(s): Marcus Hellyer and Andrew Nicholls
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

Despite Progress, Major Challenges Lie Ahead for AUKUS
Date: September 23, 2022
Author(s): Iain MacGillivray, Bronte Munro, Gregory Brown
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)

AUKUS and the Nuclear Reaction
Date: January 27, 2023
Author(s): Nick Childs
Publication: International Institute for Strategic Studies

The Economic Case for Building Nuclear Subs Offshore Not in Adelaide
Date: March 5, 2023
Author(s): Stephen Grenville
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

AUKUS Submarines Will Strengthen Australia’s Sovereignty
Date: March 10, 2023
Author(s): Justin Bassi and Alex Bristow
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

Around the Halls: AUKUS Defines an Emerging Alliance at Sea
Date: March 13, 2023
Author(s): Bruce Jones, Michael E. O’Hanlon, Ryan Hass, Amy J. Nelson, Tom Stefanick, Constanze Stelzenmüller, Caitlin Talmadge, and Andrew Yeo
Publication: Brookings

AUKUS: 10 Things We Need to Know About Australia’s Nuclear Submarine Program
Date: March 13, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

AUKUS Submarine Plan Will Be the Biggest Defence Scheme in Australian History. So How Will It Work?
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): John Blaxland
Publication: The Conversation

SSN-AUKUS: Opportunities, Risks and Implications
Date: March 15, 2023
Author(s): Sidharth Kaushal
Publication: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)

AUKUS: Submarines on the Never Never, or Castles in the Sky?
Date: March 16, 2023
Author(s): Allan Behm
Publication: Australia Institute

The AUKUS Submarine Deal Highlights a Tectonic Shift in the U.S.-Australia Alliance
Date: March 27, 2023
Author(s): Ashley Townshend
Publication: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The Minefields That Could Sink SSN AUKUS
Date: April 2023
Author(s): Ramesh Thakur
Publication: Toda Peace Institute

AUKUS Submarine Funding Surfaces in Latest Australian Defence Budget
Date: June 2, 2023
Author(s): Karl Dewey
Publication: International Institute for Strategic Studies

AUKUS Nuclear Subs Pass Key US Hurdle
Date: July 16, 2023
Author(s): Matthew Cranston
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Mandating Australian Industry Content for the AUKUS SSNs
Date: August 24, 2023
Author(s): Peter Briggs
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

The Social Licence for AUKUS Has Not Yet Been Earned
Date: August 25, 2023
Author(s): Peter K. Lee, Alice Nason, and Sophie Mayo
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

Allies Target Early AUKUS Milestones to Keep 20-Year Plan on Track
Date: September 6, 2023
Author(s): Megan Eckstein
Publication: Defense News

AUKUS Is Still a Toddler With a Long Way to Go
Date: September 19, 2023
Author(s): Michael Shoebridge
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Scathing New Report Hands AUKUS Sceptics Firepower
Date: October 3, 2023
Author(s): James Curran and Andrew Tillett
Publication: The Australian Financial Review’

Anthony Albanese Confident Dysfunction in US Congress Won’t Affect AUKUS Deal
Date: October 24, 2023
Author(s): Katharine Murphy and Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

‘Difficult and Expensive’: US Report Raises AUKUS Doubts After Joe Biden Reassures Anthony Albanese at White House
Date: October 27, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

Can America Be Trusted on Submarines?
Date: October 28, 2023
Author(s): David Shoebridge
Publication: The Saturday Paper

Plan to Build AUKUS Submarines in Adelaide Is ‘A Fairytale’ and ‘Pork Barrelling’, Alexander Downer Says
Date: October 29, 2023
Author(s): Paul Karp
Publication: The Guardian

AUKUS Leaders Tout Pillar 1 Submarine Achievements and Goals Despite US Submarine Production Lag
Date: December 5, 2023
Author(s): Michael Fabey
Publication: Janes

All Set for the US to Sell Australia Three ‘Apex Predator’ Submarines
Date: December 8, 2023
Author(s): Matthew Knott
Publication: The Sydney Morning Herald

AUKUS Pillar 2 Progress, Challenges & Perspectives

The Real Potential of AUKUS Is About Far More Than Submarines
Date: September 20, 2021
Author(s): Fergus Hanson and Danielle Cave
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS Nations Commit to Developing Hypersonic, Drone Subs, Cyber
Date: April 5, 2022
Author(s): Colin Clark
Publication: Breaking Defense

AUKUS Members Strengthen Cooperation in Developing Hypersonic Missiles
Date: April 25, 2022
Author(s): Jan Hernik
Publication: Warsaw Institute

Laying the Foundations for AUKUS: Strengthening Australia’s High-Tech Ecosystem in Support of Advanced Capabilities
Date: July 7, 2022
Author(s): Jennifer Jackett
Publication: United States Studies Centre

AUKUS Innovation Potential Is Bigger Than the Subs
Date: July 18, 2022
Author(s): Joseph Brookes
Publication: InnovationAUS

365 days of AUKUS: Progress, Challenges and Prospects
Date: September 14, 2022
Author(s): Peter K. Lee, Alice Nason
Publication: United States Studies Centre

Enhancing Cyber Capabilities Through AUKUS
Date: September 16, 2022
Author(s): Jocelinn Kang
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

AUKUS Countries Team Up to Develop Key Quantum Capabilities
Date: February 17, 2023
Author(s): Josh Luckenbaugh
Publication: National Defense

AUKUS Partners Aim to Catch China in Hypersonics Race
Date: February 17, 2023
Author(s): Mikayla Easley
Publication: National Defense

The AUKUS Alliance Has a Lot More to Offer Than Submarines
Date: March 27, 2023
Author(s): Lauren Kahn
Publication: Council on Foreign Relations

We’ve Sorted the Subs. Now for AUKUS 2, Says Our New Man in London
Date: April 1, 2023
Author(s): Hans van Leeuwen
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

The AI Side of AUKUS: UK Reveals Ground-Breaking, Allied Tech Demo
Date: May 25, 2023
Author(s): Tim Martin
Publication: Breaking Defense

AUKUS: Three Partners, Two Pillars, One Problem
Date: June 6, 2023
Author(s): Alexandra Caples, Jamie Gaida and Danielle Cave
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

AUKUS Needs to Focus on Critical Minerals
Date: June 22, 2023
Author(s): John Coyne
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS Countries Begin Pillar 2 Effort, Focusing On Unmanned Systems and AI
Date: June 30, 2023
Author(s): Michael Fabey
Publication: Janes

AUKUS Pillar Two: Advancing the Capabilities of the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia
Date: July 10, 2023
Author(s): John Christianson, Sean Monaghan, and Di Cooke
Publication: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Australia’s Capabilities Accelerator Will Need to Break New Ground
Date: July 10, 2023
Author(s): Hayley Channer and Miah Hammond-Errey
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS Advanced Capabilities Pillar Will Require Fundamental Shifts
Date: July 12, 2023
Author(s): Justin Bassi, Maeve Ryan and Lisa Curtis
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

Preparing Australian Universities for AUKUS
Date: August 7, 2023
Author(s): Brendan Walker-Munro, Lauren Sanders and Rain Liivoja
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS Brings More Than Nuclear Submarines to Southeast Asia
Date: September 15, 2023
Author(s): Abdul Rahman Yaacob
Publication: East Asia Forum

AUKUS Partners Advancing on AI, Autonomy
Date: September 20, 2023
Author(s): Josh Luckenbaugh
Publication: National Defense

Canada and New Zealand Need to Consider Joining Pillar 2 of AUKUS
Date: September 21, 2023
Author(s): Guy C. Charlton and Xiang Gao
Publication: The Diplomat

AUKUS Status Update: Checking in on the Advancement of Pillar II
Date: September 22, 2023
Author(s): Tom Barrett and Sophie Mayo
Publication: United States Studies Centre

AUKUS as Big Science?
Date: October 25, 2023
Author(s): Marigold Black
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

AUKUS Plans Unveiled For Defence Tech-Sharing Agreement
Date: November 8, 2023
Author(s): Robert Dougherty
Publication: Defence Connect

Uncrewed Undersea Capabilities Strengthen AUKUS Partnership
Date: November 10, 2023
Author(s): Robert Dougherty
Publication: The National Tribune

AUKUS Pillar Two Could Involve Countries Beyond US, UK, Australia
Date: November 27, 2023
Author(s): Josh Luckenbaugh
Publication: National Defense

Defense Officials Put Technology at Center of AUKUS Summit
Date: December 1, 2023
Author(s): Noah Robertson
Publication: C4ISRnet

US Introduces New AUKUS Efforts Focused on Advanced Warfighting
Date: December 1, 2023
Author(s): Brad Dress
Publication: The Hill

Pentagon Presses Congress to Enable AUKUS’ Next Stage
Date: December 1, 2023
Author(s): Audrey Decker
Publication:Defense One

U.S., U.K., Australia Sign Agreement to Jointly Operate Deep Space Radar Network
Date: December 2, 2023
Author(s): Sandra Erwin
Publication: Space News

New AUKUS Investor Group to Accelerate Emerging Tech Development
Date: December 8, 2023
Author(s): Josh Luckenbaugh
Publication: National Defense

Export Controls

The NTIB Is Dying: Is AUKUS Next? Congress Must Apply Life Support Soon
Date: June 1, 2022
Author(s): William C. Greenwalt
Publication: American Enterprise Institute

AUKUS Agreement Poses Cybersecurity Risk to Allies
Date: September 29, 2022
Author(s): Stew Magnuson
Publication: National Defense

ITAR Should End for Australia
Date: December 7, 2022
Author(s): James Carouso, Thomas Schieffer, Jeffrey Bleich, John Berryand, and Arthur Culvahouse
Publication: Center for Strategic and International Studies

US Export Rules Need Major Reform If AUKUS Is to Succeed
Date: February 16, 2023
Author(s): Rajiv Shah
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

Big AUKUS News Coming, But Hill and Allies See Tech Sharing Snags
Date: March 7, 2023
Author(s): Joe Gould and Bryant Harris
Publication: DefenseNews

Will U.S. Export Regulations Derail AUKUS?
Date: March 10, 2023
Author(s): Bridgit Sullivan
Publication: National Defense

Australia Is the ‘Weakest Link’ in AUKUS Cyber Security
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Croft
Publication: Cyber Daily

Congress Lays Groundwork for AUKUS Export Control Reform
Date: March 23, 2023
Author(s): Bryant Harris
Publication: RealClear Defense

AUKUS, ITAR, Export Control Reform and the Australian Defence Industry
Date: May 8, 2023
Author(s): Tim O’Callaghan, Travis Shueard, and Laura Coppola
Publication: Piper Alderman

Breaking the Barriers: Reforming US Export Controls to Realize the Potential of AUKUS
Date: May 17, 2023
Author(s): William C. Greenwalt and Tom Corben
Publication: United States Studies Centre

ITAR Exemptions for AUKUS Should Come Via Biden Executive Order
Date: May 18, 2023
Author(s): Brandon How
Publication: InnovationAus

Lawmakers Seek to Ease Defense Export Controls to UK, Australia
Date: May 23, 2023
Author(s): Rachel Oswald
Publication: Roll Call

America Must Get Out of the Way If AUKUS Is to Succeed
Date: June 20, 2023
Author(s): Brad Glosserman
Publication: The Japan Times

The US AUKUS Undersea Act, ITAR & Transfer of US Nuclear Submarines to Australia
Date: June 28, 2023
Author(s): Tim O’Callaghan and Travis Shueard
Publication: Lexology

AUKUS Is Supposed to Allow for Robust Technology Sharing. The US Will Need to Change Its Onerous Laws First
Date: July 13, 2023
Author(s): Lauren Sanders
Publication: The Conversation

Australia to Gain Priority Access to US Military Equipment Under Washington Proposal
Date: July 19, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Hurst
Publication: The Guardian

House Advances AUKUS Authorizations Amid Sub, Export Control Debate
Date: July 26, 2023
Author(s): Bryant Harris
Publication: Defense News

Will Regulatory Poison Pills Render AUKUS Dead on Arrival?
Date: September 1, 2023
Author(s): Jeffrey P. Bialos
Publication: The Diplomat

AUKUS Standoff: Australia, UK Wait on Congress to Approve Pact
Date: September 5, 2023
Author(s): Bryant Harris
Publication: Defense News

AUKUS Export Rules Possible ‘Trojan Horse’ for Bad Actors
Date: September 7, 2023
Author(s): Matthew Cranston
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Two Years On, Is the AUKUS Agreement at the Brink of Failure?
Date: September 14, 2023
Author(s): William C. Greenwalt
Publication: Breaking Defense

AUKUS: The Greatest Policy Blunder
Date: October 7, 2023
Author(s): Mike Scrafton
Publication: Pearls and Irritations

Rudd Slams ‘Crazy’ US Red Tape Slowing AUKUS
Date: October 13, 2023
Author(s): Matthew Cranston
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Government to Sweep Away Export Barriers in ‘AUKUS Revolution’
Date: November 13, 2023
Author(s): Matthew Knott
Publication: The Sydney Morning Herald

Proposed Australian Export Law Meant to Help AUKUS Sharing, but Experts Are Sounding Alarms
Date: November 14, 2023
Author(s): Colin Clark
Publication: Breaking Defense

AUKUS Is Hamstrung by Outdated US Export Control Rules. Here’s What Congress Can Do.
Date: November 15, 2023
Author(s): Deborah Cheverton and John T. Watts
Publication: Atlantic Council

Shake-up of Australia’s Defence Export Regime Offers Opportunities for Aukus and Beyond
Date: November 22, 2023
Author(s): Bec Shrimpton and George Henneke
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS Can Work Without Gutting US Export Control Laws
Date: November 30, 2023
Author(s): Paul Esau and Valerie Lincy
Publication: DefenseNews

Australia ‘Heartened’ as US Congress Expected to Pass AUKUS Provisions
Date: December 7, 2023
Author(s): Kirsty Needham
Publication: Reuters

US Congress Passes Bill Allowing Sale of AUKUS Nuclear Submarines to Australia
Date: December 14, 2023
Author(s): Daniel Hurst and Josh Butler
Publication: The Guardian

Australia Defence Research Collaboration Essential for AUKUS Agreement
Date: December 15, 2023
Publication: Group of Eight Australia

Workforce Demands & Development

New AUKUS Caucus Bill Calls for U.S.-Australia Sub Training Pipeline
Date: June 15, 2022
Author(s): Mallory Shelbourne
Publication: USNI News

A Year After Aukus Deal, Australia to Boost Skilled Workforce to Help Build Nuclear-powered Submarines
Date: September 16, 2022
Publication: South China Morning Post

AUKUS Subs a Boon but Finding Nuclear Workforce Will Challenge Us: Marles
Date: February 4, 2023
Author(s): Farrah Tomazin
Publication: The Sydney Morning Herald

AUKUS Will Create 20,000 Jobs and ‘Safeguard Economy’
Date: March 12, 2023
Author(s): Andrew Tillett and Tom McIlroy
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Government Reveals AUKUS Submarine Workforce and Industry Strategy
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Stephen Kuper
Publication: Defence Connect

AUKUS Has a People Problem
Date: April 4, 2023
Author(s): Bronte Munro
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

AUKUS to Bolster Australia’s High Skilled Workforce for Generations to Come
Date: April 11, 2023
Author(s): Paolo Damante
Publication: Ai Group

Helping Our Subs Swim, Not Sink: Here’s How We Can Build Australia’s AUKUS-Ready Workforce
Date: May 17, 2023
Author(s): Brian Schmidt
Publication: Australian National University

Australian Universities Hold the Keys to AUKUS Pillar I, II
Date: August 3, 2023
Author(s): Robert Dougherty
Publication: Defence Connect

Building a Nuclear Workforce Will Take Time
Date: August 20, 2023
Author(s): Gregor Ferguson
Publication: The Australian Financial Review

Australian, UK and US Tech Companies Already Reaping AUKUS Benefits
Date: September 14, 2023
Author(s): Megan Eckstein
Publication: C4ISRNET

New AUKUS Workforce Development Challenge Launched
Date: October 11, 2023
Publication: Defence Connect

Tri-lateral Alliance Set to Address Critical AUKUS Workforce and Skilling Opportunities
Date: November 7, 2023
Publication: Seapower Magazine

Overcoming Australia’s AUKUS Workforce Challenges
Date: November 17, 2023
Author(s): Michael Hickey and James Fitzgerald
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

Navy Pushes Annual Talent Pipeline Initiative Amid Submarine Base Workforce Concerns
Date: November 20, 2023
Author(s): Justin Katz
Publication: Breaking Defense

US Submarine Production Rate Will Not Hinder AUKUS
Date: November 21, 2023
Author(s): Joe Courtney
Publication: DefenseNews

Workforce Key Obstacle for Australia, U.S. to Deliver on AUKUS
Date: November 27, 2023
Author(s): Sean Carberry
Publication: National Defense

AUKUS Pact Stresses Longterm Workforce Development
Date: November 28, 2023
Author(s): John Grady
Publication: USNI News

AUKUS Inflection Point: Building the Ecosystem for Workforce Development
Date: December 11, 2023
Author(s): Peter Dean
Publication: United States Studies Centre

Astute Lessons for Australia’s AUKUS Submarine Workforce
Date: December 14, 2023
Author(s): Samuel Garrett
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) – The Strategist

Nuclear Nonproliferation

Why the AUKUS Submarine Deal Is Bad for Nonproliferation—And What to Do About It
Date: September 21, 2021
Author(s): James M. Acton
Publication: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Limiting the Nuclear-proliferation Blowback from the AUKUS Submarine Deal
Date: September 21, 2021
Author(s): Anastasia Kapetas
Publication: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) — The Strategist

Don’t Sink the Nuclear Submarine Deal: The Benefits of AUKUS Outweigh the Proliferation Risks
Date: September 27, 2021
Author(s): Caitlin Talmadge
Publication: Foreign Affairs

AUKUS and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime
Date: September 28, 2021
Author(s): Cathy Moloney
Publication: Lowy Institute – The Interpreter

The Australia-UK-U.S. Submarine Deal: Not Necessarily a Sure or a Good Thing
Date: November 2021
Author(s): Trevor Findlay
Publication: Arms Control Association

AUKUS Sub Deal Triggers Debate on Nuclear Safeguards
Date: December 1, 2021
Author(s): Fumi Matsumoto and Koya Jibiki
Publication: Nikkei Asian Review

How the United States Can Use AUKUS to Strengthen Nuclear Nonproliferation
Date: December 16, 2021
Author(s): Ariel (Eli) Levite and Toby Dalton
Publication: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Australian Parliamentary Inquiry Upholds AUKUS Information Agreement
Date: December 17, 2021
Publication: Kyodo News

China Says All IAEA Member States Must Agree Before AUKUS Nuclear Sub Project Begins
Date: June 7, 2022
Author(s): Liu Zhen
Publication: South China Morning Post

Nuclear Breakthrough Hands AUKUS Deal Huge Boost to Safeguard Military Secrets
Date: June 26, 2022
Author(s): Ian Randall
Publication: Express

Troubled Waters: Nuclear Submarines, AUKUS and the NPT
Date: July 2022
Editor: Gem Romuld
Publication: International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

France Can Help Albanese Fix AUKUS
Date: July 14, 2022
Author(s): Alan Kuperman
Publication: Lowy Institute — The Interpreter

CACDA Successfully Held the Press Conference about the Research Report on the Nuclear Proliferation Risk of AUKUS Collaboration on Nuclear-powered Submarines
Date: July 20, 2022
Author(s): 军控协会
Publication: China Arms Control and Disarmament Association

AUKUS and Nuclear-powered Submarines: Let’s All Just Take a Breath
Date: November 17, 2022
Author(s): Noah C. Mayhew
Publication: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Fixing a Fatal, Nuclear Flaw in AUKUS
Date: March 7, 2023
Author(s): Alan J. Kuperman
Publication: Breaking Defense

AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Deal Loophole Prompts Proliferation Fears
Date: March 14, 2023
Author(s): Julian Borger
Publication: The Guardian

If AUKUS Is All About Nuclear Submarines, How Can It Comply with Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaties? A Law Scholar Explains
Date: March 15, 2023
Author(s): Lauren Sanders
Publication: The Conversation

Nuclearizing the Indo-Pacific
Date: March 21, 2023
Publication: The Jakarta Post

AUKUS and Australia’s Nuclear Submarines — Challenges for NPT Safeguards
Date: March 28, 2023
Author(s): Yuki Kobayashi
Publication: Sasakawa Peace Foundation

AUKUS Plans Announced
Date: April 2023
Author(s): Kelsey Davenport
Publication: Arms Control Association

The Gamble of AUKUS: Eroding the Rules of Nuclear Non-Proliferation?
Date: May 2023
Author(s): Karla Mae G. Pabelina
Publication: Philippines Foreign Service Institute – Center for International Relations & Strategic Studies

The AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Deal Is a Challenge for the IAEA
Date: June 2, 2023
Author(s): Mike Higgins
Publication: Chatham House

US to Cambodia: AUKUS Sub Deal Is Not Nuclear Proliferation
Date: June 7, 2023
Author(s): Chetra Chap
Publication: Voice of America

AUKUS as a Nonproliferation Standard?
Date: July/August 2023
Author(s): Toby Dalton and Ariel Levite
Publication: Arms Control Association

AUKUS’ Crumbling Public Perceptions
Date: August 2, 2023
Author(s): Jasmin Alsaied
Publication: Center for Strategic and International Studies – Next Generation Nuclear Network

Chapter 7

Glossary

AEA – Atomic Energy Act of 1954

ANZUS – Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations

ATNIA – Australian Treaty National Interest Analysis

AUKMIN – Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations

AUKUS – The enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States

AURAS – AUKUS Undersea Robotics Autonomous Systems

AUSMIN – Australia-US Ministerial Consultations

AQUA – AUKUS Quantum Arrangement

ENNPIA – Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement

FMS – Foreign Military Sales

IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency

ITAR – International Traffic in Arms Regulations

JASSM-ER – Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (Extended Range)

LRASM – Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (Extended Range)

NPT – Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

NTIB – National Technology and Industrial Base

SSN – Nuclear-powered attack submarines

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FOLLOW US

AUKUS BRIEFING BOOK

Preface

Executive Summary

Early Context

AUKUS Partnership Organization

AUKUS Pillar 1: The “Optimal Pathway” for Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Nonproliferation Concerns

AUKUS Pillar 2: Advanced Capabilities

Export Control Reforms

Chapter Overview

Chapter 1

Joint Statements and Official Documents

1.1 - Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement (ENNPIA) (September 15, 2021)

1.2 - Joint Leaders Statement on AUKUS (September 15, 2021)

1.3 - Remarks by President and Prime Ministers (September 15, 2021)

1.4 - Readout of AUKUS Joint Steering Group Meetings (December 17, 2021)

1.5 - AUKUS Leaders’ Level Statement (April 5, 2022)

1.6 - Fact Sheet: Implementation of the AUKUS partnership (April 6, 2022)

1.7 - Readout of AUKUS Joint Steering Group Meetings (July 31, 2022)

1.8 - Joint Leadership Statement to Mark One Year Anniversary of AUKUS (September 23, 2022)

1.9 - Joint Statement on AUSMIN Consultations (December 6, 2022)

1.10 - AUKUS Defense Ministerial Joint Statement (December 7, 2022)

1.11 - Joint Statement on AUKMIN Consultations (February 2, 2023)

1.12 - Joint Leaders Statement on the Optimal Pathway (March 13, 2023)

1.13 - Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia Before Bilateral Meeting (March 13, 2023)

1.14 - Fact Sheet: Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines (Optimal Pathway) (March 13, 2023)

1.15 - Remarks by President Biden, Prime Minister Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Sunak of the United Kingdom on the AUKUS Partnership (March 13 2023)

1.16 - The AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarine Pathway: A Partnership for the Future (Optimal Pathway) (March 14, 2023)

1.17 - Joint Leaders Statement on the Optimal Pathway (Detailed) (March 14, 2023)

1.18 - Australia-United States Joint Leaders’ Statement (May 20, 2023)

1.19 - Joint Statement on AUSMIN Consultations (July 29, 2023)

1.20 - Joint Leadership Statement to Mark Two Year Anniversary of AUKUS (September 15, 2023)

1.21 - Fact Sheet: Delivering on the Next Generation of Innovation and Partnership with Australia (October 25, 2023)

1.22 - U.S.–Australia Joint Leaders’ Statement: Building an Innovation Alliance (October 25, 2023)

1.23 - Remarks by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.S. President Joe Biden in Joint Press Conference (October 25, 2023)

1.24 - Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia (October 26, 2023)

1.25 - AUKUS Defense Ministers Meeting Joint Statement (December 1, 2023)

1.26 - AUKUS Defense Ministerial Joint Statement (December 7, 2023)

Chapter 2

Australia Official Statements and Documents

2.1 - Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Joint Statement on AUKUS (September 16, 2021)

2.2 - Australia National Interest Analysis (Novermber 22, 2021)

2.3 - Report 199 - Australian Parliament (December 2021)

2.4 - Australian Government Brochures (2021-2022)

2.5 - Media Release by the Hon Anthony Albanese Prime Minister on Australian Strategic Research Agency (April 28, 2022)

2.6 - Statement by the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, ‘AUKUS Won’t Undermine Australia’s Stance Against Nuclear Weapons’ (January 23, 2023)

2.7 - Joint Media Statement by the Western Australian Government - Western Australia Home for Australia's First Nuclear-powered Submarines (March 14, 2023)

2.8 - Optimal Pathway Fact Sheet, Australian Submarine Agency (March 2023)

2.9 - Joint Media Release, Richard Marles, Minister for Defence and Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister - AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarine Pathway (March 14, 2023)

2.10 - Statement by the Prime Minister, the Hon, Anthony Albanese and the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Richard Marles - AUKUS Submarine Workforce and Industry Strategy (March 14, 2023)

2.11 - Joint Media Release from Ministers for Defence, Foreign Affairs, Defence Industry, Skills and Training, and Education - Commonwealth and South Australia Sign Submarine Cooperation Agreement(March 15, 2023)

2.12 - Media Transcript from Minister for Defence Industry - AUKUS Agreement and the Hunter Defence Industry, (March 20, 2023)

2.13 - Statement by the Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister and Richard Males, Minister for Defence - Release of Australia’s Defence Strategic Review (April 24, 2023)

2.14 - Australia’s National Defence: Defence Strategic Review 2023 (April 2023)

2.15 - Joint Media Release from Ministers for Defence, Education, Skills and Training, Defence Industry, and the Pacific - New Investment in Skills Paves the Way for AUKUS Workforce (May 16, 2023)

2.16 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - AUKUS Partners Demonstrate Advanced Capabilities AI Trial (May 26, 2023)

2.17 - Defence Legislation Amendment - Naval Nuclear Propulsion Bill 2023 (June 22, 2023)

2.18 - Statement by Australian Submarine Agency - New Agency to Oversee Acquisition of Nuclear-powered Submarines (July 6, 2023)

2.19 - Article by Australian Submarine Agency - HMAS Stirling welcomes USS North Carolina (August 4, 2023)

2.20 - Joint Statement by the Minister for Defence, Richard Marles and the Minister for Education, Jason Clare - 4,000 More Uni Places for AUKUS Workforce (September 1, 2023 )

2.21 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Australian Industry Learning Nuclear-powered Submarines in the UK (November 4, 2023)

2.22 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Uncrewed Undersea Capabilities Strengthen AUKUS Partnership (November 10, 2023)

2.23 - Statement by Australian Ministry of Defence - Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023 (November 30, 2023)

2.24 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - New Legislation to Unlock Billions of Dollars for AUKUS Industry Partners (November 30, 2023)

2.25 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Australian Hull Steel for Australian SSN-AUKUS Nuclear-powered Submarines (December 9, 2023)

2.26 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Visit to the United States for Defence Industry Talks and Annual Ministerial Development Dialogue (December 10, 2023)

2.27 - Media Release by Australian Ministry of Defence - Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress (December 15, 2023)

Chapter 3

United Kingdom Official Statements and Documents

3.1 - The AUKUS Agreement, Research Briefing – House of Commons Library (October 11, 2021)

3.2 - Impact on Anglo-Chinese Relations Following the AUKUS Pact, Research Briefing – House of Commons Library (October 15, 2021)

3.3 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS, Volume 719 (September 6, 2022)

3.4 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Submarines, Volume 727 (January 30, 2023)

3.5 - UK Integrated Review Refresh 2023: Responding to a More Contested and Volatile World (March 2023)

3.6 - Media Release by Ministry of Defence - British-led Design Chosen for AUKUS Submarine Project, (March 13, 2023)

3.7 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Defence Partnership, Volume 729 (March 14, 2023)

3.8 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Defence Partnership, Volume 828 (March 16, 2023)

3.9 - Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero Press Release: UK Charges Up Ties with Western Australia in New Critical Minerals Pledge (April 4, 2023)

3.10 - Parliament Debate on AUKUS Submarine Project, Volume 732 (May 15, 2023)