AUKUS Treaty NEWS ONLY

Big announcement tomorrow in Australia, $12bn to be released for the construction of a new naval base at Henderson in Perth as well as a new surface shipyard that will initially build the new RAN landing craft but possibly workshare on the new Japanese frigates afterwards as well as performing submarine and surface ship maintenance with $25bn to be spent on the base over the next decade including $8bn for the nuclear submarine docks, ultimately employing 10,000. The docks will host four US submarines and one British submarine from 2027, before the Australian fleet is built.

www.theguardian.com

Government makes $12bn downpayment on WA shipyard to help prepare it for Aukus submarine era

Henderson defence precinct to be used to build surface vessels and maintain submarines
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

This comes two days after RR announced it had signed agreements with the South and Western Australian governments to train nuclear engineers for Austal.

www.machinery-market.co.uk

Rolls-Royce to train AUKUS submarine workforce - MM Media

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and Western Australian Defence Industries Minister Paul Papalia tour the Rolls-Royce Raynesway site in DerbyRolls-Royce has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with both the Western Australian and South Australian governments, marking a...
www.machinery-market.co.uk

Australia also announced a $1.7bn order for 'Dozens' of Ghost Shark XLAUV.
 

ca.news.yahoo.com

US will have access to Western Australia nuclear submarine shipyard, minister says

The United States will be able to use planned defence facilities in Western Australia that are to help deliver nuclear-powered submarines under the trilateral AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Sunday. Australia will spend A$12 billion ($8 billion)...
ca.news.yahoo.com ca.news.yahoo.com

Nothing more than giving the US a forward operating sub base Australia is paying for.

Regards,
 
www.watoday.com.au

Scott Morrison thinks this beachside port should house Australia’s next joint US base

The former prime minister thinks a joint naval base south of Perth could help get the AUKUS deal over the line. But will it happen?
www.watoday.com.au www.watoday.com.au

Would a joint naval base in Perth’s south appease the current US administration? And does the idea even make sense?
Click to expand...

www.facebook.com

Labor Against War

Why the political establishment really loves AUKUS Those on the payroll includes: “Christopher Pyne, Kim Beazley, Arthur Sinodinos, Stephen Conroy, Joel Fitzgibbon, David Johnston, ex Liberal...
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com

Regards,
 
www.japantimes.co.jp

U.S. State Department sees Japanese role in AUKUS defense pact

Japan 'expressed interest in a range' of projects underway as part of the second leg of the pact, an assessment said.
www.japantimes.co.jp www.japantimes.co.jp
(Registration or subscription may be required)

Japan would be a "capable participant” in the evolving U.S.-U.K.-Australia defense partnership because of its investments in advanced defense systems, industrial-base improvements and cybersecurity protocols, according to an unreleased U.S. State Department assessment to Congress.

Japan "expressed interest in a range" of projects underway as part of the second leg of the so-called AUKUS agreement that’s focused on technology-sharing, including "long-range anti-submarine warfare and autonomous air platforms,” according to the four-page document, a copy of which was made available to Bloomberg News.

[snip]
Click to expand...
 
Halcyon66 said:
www.abc.net.au

'Used as pawns': Locals deride AUKUS agency selling future of nuclear subs

A push to earn the public's trust over a defence hub south of Perth by the Australian Submarine Agency draws protesters and sceptical residents in Fremantle.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

Regards,
Click to expand...
Clearly solid opposition to AUKUS in Fremantle...

8e7db51e09264d11fc4da14bfbf71cb2


Reported to be 40 people at the protest but appears they were being generous with the numbers...
 
www.smh.com.au

‘AUKUS is safe’: Pentagon backs plan to sell submarines to Australia, report says

The US review is said to have endorsed the pact and it will be finalised before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets US President Donald Trump next month, according to a report from Nikkei Asia.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

Nikkei Asia reports that the US has signed a purchase agreement with Japan (and associated end use agreements) for the required rare earths to build the Virginias to be exported to Australia (2nd and 3rd boats).
 
Last edited:
WatcherZero said:
US AUKUS review still underway but has already decided to reconfirm the previously agreed Virginia delivery schedule.
Click to expand...
With one HUGE caveat: "While industrial delays might affect the delivery of the submarines, no political decision had been made to alter the schedule."

So basically "we are reconfirming the schedule, but everyone knows we can't deliver on time so don't expect your first sub in 2032".

P.S. The DoDs ability to honor its commitment hinges not just on the delivery of 13 Virginias between 2025-2032 (a production rate of 1.6 SSNs/year which is well short of the stated need of 2.3 SSNs/year and which it currently is failing to achieve, with both FY25 deliveries having already been pushed into FY26). The DoD also needs to refuel and life extend 6 older SSNs. This plan is not going well, with the first hull (SSN Cheyenne) now 5 years into a planned 2.5 year overhaul. At this rate there is a 0% chance that 19 new/life extended subs will be delivered by 2032. Given that 20 SSN/SSGNs are being retired over the same time period (16 Los Angeles + 4 Ohio SSGNs), the USN's sub force is going to continue shrinking for the next decade.
 
Last edited:
Scott Kenny said:
It'd require a complete refueling and update/refit.
Click to expand...

Assuming the hull was sufficiently intact and there was enough people left to even know how to operate them. It would be kinda like saying “a shame we got rid of those F4s”.
 

Albanese confident on AUKUS despite Trump's Korean subs promise​


www.abc.net.au

Albanese confident on AUKUS despite Trump's Korean subs promise

As the US president promises South Korea can have nuclear submarines, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists this can be delivered alongside the AUKUS boats.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

Wow looks like everyone is getting subs.................Ponzi scheme comes to mind :cool:

Regards,
 
Halcyon66 said:

Albanese confident on AUKUS despite Trump's Korean subs promise​


www.abc.net.au

Albanese confident on AUKUS despite Trump's Korean subs promise

As the US president promises South Korea can have nuclear submarines, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists this can be delivered alongside the AUKUS boats.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

Wow looks like everyone is getting subs.................Ponzi scheme comes to mind :cool:

Regards,
Click to expand...
Many of the things the current administration says do not come to fruition, in fact almost anything they say with regards to making or building anything. Destroying AUKAS is certainly still possible, but it will not be because the administration is capable of creating anything for the ROK. Mr senile just has a big in his bonnet because Bestest Korea snubbed him.
 
Do we know if it's an evolution of a Korean design with a US power plant, or is it a fully American design ie a Virginia?
 
jeffb said:
Do we know if it's an evolution of a Korean design with a US power plant, or is it a fully American design ie a Virginia?
Click to expand...
It is just an off the cuff idea from nontechnical, degrading mind. Nothing will come of it.

It is ridiculous to take these statements (F-35 with two engines, steam for CVN-78, buying Greenland , Canada as a state) at face value.
 
Josh_TN said:
It is just an off the cuff idea from nontechnical, degrading mind. Nothing will come of it.

It is ridiculous to take these statements (F-35 with two engines, steam for CVN-78, buying Greenland , Canada as a state) at face value.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I generaly avoid dipping into dompol but I would strongly advise waiting until actual experts develop a plan.

(My money is on this never happening.)
 
My understanding after reading a couple articles is that the administration merely gave “approval” for South Korea to develop their own - it seems unclear to me this was required or asked for. It seems most definitely not an offer for the U.S. to build anything.
 
Actually the most recent thing I have read is that the nuclear boats would be built with US technology in the U.S. at the Philadelphia ship yard ROK is in the process of taking over. I think there is zero chance of that happening, and that the ROK is just playing along while he’s president in much the same way as they gave him a golden crown and had a military band play “YMCA”. My guess is that this is to give Trump a non Biden AUKAS win which no one on either side actually thinks is realistic.

To be fair, the submarine part of AUKAS might also not be realistic.
 
Josh_TN said:
built with US technology in the U.S. at the Philadelphia ship yard ROK is in the process of taking over
Click to expand...
Yeah. While the press will run anything the current administration says, anyone who knows anything about this industry is well-aware this will never happen.
 
tychosis said:
Yeah. While the press will run anything the current administration says, anyone who knows anything about this industry is well-aware this will never happen.
Click to expand...
I mean, the reasons are so numerous, but let’s just start with how hard it is to have a yard certified for nuclear work, nevermind one owned by a non U.S. company. About the only realistic part of the idea to my mind is the US handing over nuclear submarine secrets; I assume they are still stored in a guest bathroom at Maralago.
 
South Korean president said the nuclear subs would be built in South Korean not the US. But it could be a similar arrangement to Britain and Australia where Britain will build the reactor modules for all the Australian subs. US seems quite keen for South Korea to use the Philly yard to expand US naval production capacity.

The main takeaway for the South Koreans is that the US will remove its restriction on them enriching fuel beyond 20% in their reactors. Like Japan they have the indigenous capability to quickly produce naval nuclear plant.
 
Marles refuses 12 times to say what the Americans want in AUKUS review
www.smh.com.au

Marles refuses 12 times to say what the Americans want in AUKUS review

Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met their American counterparts Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio in Washington for annual talks amid what Rubio called “real momentum” in the alliance.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

Yet we are cutting another 1 billion cheque..............

Regards,
 
Halcyon66 said:
Marles refuses 12 times to say what the Americans want in AUKUS review
www.smh.com.au

Marles refuses 12 times to say what the Americans want in AUKUS review

Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met their American counterparts Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio in Washington for annual talks amid what Rubio called “real momentum” in the alliance.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

Yet we are cutting another 1 billion cheque..............

Regards,
Click to expand...

Not surprising really. This afternoon:
He says the meeting discussed further infrastructure upgrades at RAAF Base Darwin, RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Amberley to support increased rotations of US military aircraft.

The defence minister says the US will increase the rotation of military personnel through Australian bases.
Click to expand...

AUKUS isn't a plan for Australia to get nuclear submarines, it's a plan for the US to get Australian bases.
 
The US is walking away from the EU, we can only hope they walk away from the "Indo-Pacific"

Regards,
 
Relevent quote from a piece mostly concerning Type 31

Sir Nick Hine, Chief Executive of Babcock’s Marine sector, said: “This is an important week in the history of Rosyth. As the keel of HMS Formidable is laid in this vital and fast-paced UK defence programme, our advanced design and build capability will also now support the delivery of the US Virginia class submarines – a critical component of the AUKUS trilateral partnership between Australia, the US and the UK.
Click to expand...
 
Yes HII has signed for major sub-assemblies of the Virginia's to be subcontracted to Babcock in Rosyth, Scotland (Babcock had already been subcontracted to produce the missile tubes at their US plant).

One thing Rosyth shipyard has is aluminium welders, so its possible they've been contracted to produce reactor piping.
 
Last edited:
Josh_TN said:
Assuming the hull was sufficiently intact and there was enough people left to even know how to operate them. It would be kinda like saying “a shame we got rid of those F4s”.
Click to expand...
That, too.

Though it'd be relatively easy to grab the more senior nukes from the current ships, they'd know the older boats. Especially the 20+yr veterans.
 
Hanwha’s Philly Shipyard can build nuclear submarine for U.S. Navy, executive says

www.cnbc.com

Hanwha's Philly Shipyard can build nuclear submarine for U.S. Navy, executive says

South Korea's shipbuilders are betting big on President Donald Trump's ambition to revive the struggling U.S. shipbuilding industry.
www.cnbc.com www.cnbc.com

www.kedglobal.com

Hanwha Philly Shipyard primed to build next-generation US Navy submarines - KED Global

PHILADELPHIA -- A year after South Korea’s Hanwha Group acquired the Philadelphia shipyard for $100 million, the facility is being positioned as a potent
www.kedglobal.com www.kedglobal.com


Regards,
 
Halcyon66 said:
Hanwha’s Philly Shipyard can build nuclear submarine for U.S. Navy, executive says

www.cnbc.com

Hanwha's Philly Shipyard can build nuclear submarine for U.S. Navy, executive says

South Korea's shipbuilders are betting big on President Donald Trump's ambition to revive the struggling U.S. shipbuilding industry.
www.cnbc.com www.cnbc.com

www.kedglobal.com

Hanwha Philly Shipyard primed to build next-generation US Navy submarines - KED Global

PHILADELPHIA -- A year after South Korea’s Hanwha Group acquired the Philadelphia shipyard for $100 million, the facility is being positioned as a potent
www.kedglobal.com www.kedglobal.com


Regards,
Click to expand...

Kind of confusing set of articles that hint that Hanwa could and would like to get involved in the Virginia-class sub program but isn't yet.
Trump told a press conference on Monday that Hanwha would participate in building frigates for the U.S. Navy. He called Hanwha “a good company”, referring to its planned $5 billion expansion in the Philly Shipyard, which it bought in 2024 for $100 million.
Click to expand...
However, Trump did not address whether Hanwha would be involved in the Virginia-class submarine program.
Click to expand...
That said, the US is going to have to do something if they want a hope of reaching 66 operational boats by 2054 in addition to their AUKUS commitment. Watch this space.

There is mention of construction of nuclear subs and access to fuel, but that appears to be in relation to Korean plans to build their own nuclear powered boats.
www.kedglobal.com

Washington endorses Seoul's nuclear submarine ambitions, slashes auto trafiffs - KED Global

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday that the US has agreed to support Seoul’s long-held pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines and expande
www.kedglobal.com www.kedglobal.com
Click to expand...
"The US has approved for South Korea to build nuclear-powered attack submarines. The US will work closely with South Korea to advance requirements for this shipbuilding project, including avenues to source fuel," the Joint Fact Sheet states.
Click to expand...

The Joint Fact Sheet...
www.whitehouse.gov

Joint Fact Sheet on President Donald J. Trump’s Meeting with President Lee Jae Myung

President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea (ROK) welcomed President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America (United States or U.S.) for a
www.whitehouse.gov www.whitehouse.gov
FURTHERING OUR MARITIME AND NUCLEAR PARTNERSHIP: The United States welcomed the ROK’s commitment to contribute to modernizing and expanding the capacity of American shipbuilding industries, including through investments in U.S. shipyards and America’s workforce. The ROK welcomed the United States’ support for the ROK’s civil and naval nuclear power programs.

  • Both countries committed to collaborate further through a shipbuilding working group, including on maintenance, repair, and overhaul, workforce development, shipyard modernization, and supply chain resilience.
  • These initiatives will increase the number of U.S. commercial ships and combat-ready U.S. military vessels as quickly as possible, including the potential construction of U.S. vessels in the ROK.
  • Consistent with the bilateral 123 agreement and subject to U.S. legal requirements, the United States supports the process that will lead to the ROK’s civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing for peaceful uses.
  • The United States has given approval for the ROK to build nuclear-powered attack submarines. The United States will work closely with the ROK to advance requirements for this shipbuilding project, including avenues to source fuel.
Click to expand...
 
I guess Australia is now going to be writing cheques directly to Hanwha??

The US was never going to allow any US subs to be built offshore, as before we are paying for the US to build subs in the US.

Regards,
 
www.navylookout.com

Royal Navy sends HMS Anson to Australia despite submarine shortage - Navy Lookout

Royal Navy submarine HMS Anson arrived in Gibraltar last week, her first stop after sailing from Faslane on 10th January. It was officially confirmed last year that a boat would be going to join Submarine Rotational Force–West in Western Australia during 2026. Defence Minister, Luke Pollard...
www.navylookout.com www.navylookout.com

The first of the UK's submarine deployments (as laid out in the AUKUS framework) is set to begin soon, with the arrival of HMS Anson. It's a big commitment for the RN, given their current submarine woes.
 
US congressional report explores option of not delivering any Aukus nuclear submarines to Australia

www.theguardian.com

US congressional report explores option of not delivering any Aukus nuclear submarines to Australia

Report offers alternative of the US navy retaining boats and operating them out of Australian bases
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Loading…

www.congress.gov

Issues for Congress. Issues for Congress concerning the Virginia-class program and AUKUS Pillar 1 include the following: the Virginia-class procurement rate in FY2026 and subsequent years—whether the rate should be two boats per year, or something less than or greater than two boats per year; how the Navy and DOD are using submarine industrial base (SIB) funds that Congress has been appropriating since FY2018, and the impact this funding has had to date on the Virginia-class production rate; a maintenance backlog on in-service SSNs, including the impact of this backlog on SSN capabilities, and steps the Navy plans to take to reduce the backlog; and the potential benefits, costs, and risks of implementing parts (2) and (3) above of Pillar 1, and how those benefits, costs, and risks compare with those of an alternative of procuring up to eight additional Virginia-class SSNs that would be retained in U.S. Navy service and operated out of Australia along with the U.S. and UK SSNs that are already planned to be operated out of Australia under Pillar 1.

Wow didn't see that coming.......................NOT

As before we are paying the US to make them subs.

Regards,
 
Is this not just one option amongst many? A congressional research report doesn't particularly mean anything with regards to policy, they're asked to present a variety of options and subsequent potential outcomes.
 
Halcyon66 said:
US congressional report explores option of not delivering any Aukus nuclear submarines to Australia

www.theguardian.com

US congressional report explores option of not delivering any Aukus nuclear submarines to Australia

Report offers alternative of the US navy retaining boats and operating them out of Australian bases
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Loading…

www.congress.gov

Issues for Congress. Issues for Congress concerning the Virginia-class program and AUKUS Pillar 1 include the following: the Virginia-class procurement rate in FY2026 and subsequent years—whether the rate should be two boats per year, or something less than or greater than two boats per year; how the Navy and DOD are using submarine industrial base (SIB) funds that Congress has been appropriating since FY2018, and the impact this funding has had to date on the Virginia-class production rate; a maintenance backlog on in-service SSNs, including the impact of this backlog on SSN capabilities, and steps the Navy plans to take to reduce the backlog; and the potential benefits, costs, and risks of implementing parts (2) and (3) above of Pillar 1, and how those benefits, costs, and risks compare with those of an alternative of procuring up to eight additional Virginia-class SSNs that would be retained in U.S. Navy service and operated out of Australia along with the U.S. and UK SSNs that are already planned to be operated out of Australia under Pillar 1.

Wow didn't see that coming.......................NOT

As before we are paying the US to make them subs.

Regards,
Click to expand...
When it comes to building submarines, it seems the Americans have no hope left at this point.
Hopefully, American AI can solve the problems of screwdriving and welding.

Regards
 
Reuben James said:
Is this not just one option amongst many? A congressional research report doesn't particularly mean anything with regards to policy, they're asked to present a variety of options and subsequent potential outcomes.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've already commented previously but this is the exact same language from the previous CRS report:


It's just ragebait, apparently the anti-AUKUS crowd isn't big on reading and needs the freakin Guardian to read things for them.

All you can do is shrug and let them seethe, they don't know what they're talking about.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom