Overview
- Defense chiefs from the U.S., UK and Australia met at the Pentagon and declared the pact moving from planning to delivery, following a completed, largely classified review whose recommendations Australia has received.
- Australia said it will make the next $1 billion payment to expand U.S. submarine production capacity, bringing its contribution to $2 billion, and it has sent workers to train on Virginia‑class sustainment while preparing to host four U.S. boats in Perth by late 2027.
- A senior Pentagon advisor called the slow American submarine build rate “borderline frightening,” with output at roughly 1.2–1.3 Virginia‑class boats a year versus the 2–2.33 per year officials say are needed alongside Columbia‑class production.
- Officials confirmed Pillar Two will be narrowed to prioritized advanced‑technology projects after complaints that the agenda had become too broad and slow to deliver.
- The UK said it is “all in,” citing £6 billion for shipyard upgrades to sustain continuous production and support the SSN‑AUKUS program, which is planned to come online in the 2040s.