Overview

• The review is led by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby and is expected to run for 30 days
• Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles has expressed strong confidence that the U.S. will deliver the nuclear submarines despite the Pentagon’s scrutiny
• Under AUKUS, Australia is set to receive three to five U.S. Virginia-class submarines from 2030 followed by joint U.K.-Australian construction of a new nuclear-powered class in the late 2030s
• U.S. shipyards face a backlog in Virginia-class construction, raising questions about their ability to meet Australia’s delivery timeline
• U.S. defense leaders are pressing Australia to increase its military budget toward 3.5% of GDP to sustain the $235 billion, 30-year submarine program