Overview
- Defense leaders from the US, UK and Australia declared the AUKUS reviews complete and pledged to "deliver," with the UK’s John Healey describing the effort as a reboot.
- The Pentagon’s internal review of Pillar I is finished and remains confidential, but officials signaled it aims to put the pact on a stronger footing without detailing changes.
- U.S. submarine production remains the key constraint, with Navy officials citing a need to reach about 2.33 attack boats per year versus roughly 1.3 today to enable Virginia-class transfers.
- Australia says it is on track to host four U.S. Virginia-class submarines in Perth by the end of 2027, is sending workers for sustainment training, and will make a scheduled $1 billion payment to lift U.S. industrial capacity, bringing its contributions to $2 billion so far.
- The UK says it is "all in," citing £6 billion invested to modernize Barrow and Derby for continuous production and to support SSN-AUKUS development, alongside a push to accelerate Pillar II technologies.