AUKUS meet focuses on Indo-Pacific & Australia's pathway to acquire nuclear submarines

Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America on Friday, Dec. 17 held inaugural meetings of the AUKUS Trilateral Joint Steering Groups to discuss the ‘intensive work underway’ and significant progress to bring the Australian capability into service for a more stable Indo-Pacific at the earliest. At the Joint Steering Group meeting on Australia’s Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program, the three signatories reaffirmed their trilateral commitments established in the AUKUS agreement of September 2021. They discussed the immediate next steps to be taken during the 18-month consultation period to define the optimal pathway for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.   

UK, US, Australia review ENNPIA global non-proliferation for Australia’s Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program

According to a White House press release, AUKUS’ Joint Steering Group for Advanced Capabilities and the Joint Steering Group for Australia’s Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program met on December 14 at the Pentagon to hold talks on the significant progress made in the three months since the announcement of AUKUS. 

“The meetings were productive and the participants outlined next steps to continue the positive trajectory in implementation,” the White House stressed. 

At the Joint Steering Group meeting on Australia’s Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program, the participants agreed to examine the critical actions necessary to establish an enduring program in Australia. They focused on the next steps to identify the best route for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines during the 18 month consultation period. The participants also reviewed achievements since September, including the signing of the Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement [ENNPIA], that would enable the three nations to communicate and exchange Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information, and provide authorization to share Restricted Data. 

The three participatory nations identified opportunities for collaboration on a range of critical capabilities and technologies. They mulled to significantly deepen cooperation and enhance interoperability in order to strengthen security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The three countries committed to finalising an implementation program that would advance Australia’s capabilities by early 2022.

The US, UK, Australia agreed to work collaboratively to ensure that Canberra’s submarine program upholds its longstanding leadership in global non-proliferation, including the consultation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The three countries remain steadfast in support of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and its cornerstone, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty,” said the White House. It added that the three governments will comply with their respective non-proliferation obligations and commitments and that they intend to implement the strongest possible non-proliferation standards.

 Apart from the four initial areas of focus outlined in the Joint Leaders’ Statement on AUKUS, the US, UK, and Australia discussed cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, additional undersea capabilities, as well as identifying potential opportunities for collaboration in these areas.