‘As AUKUS partners, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an increasingly unstable world,’ UK defence secretary.
Australia and the United Kingdom are in the process of negotiating a bilateral defence treaty under the AUKUS defence pact, which includes the United States, UK, and Australia.
During a meeting of defence ministers from the three countries in London, negotiations are ongoing for a new UK-Australia defence treaty that will shape the defence relationship for years to come, according to UK Defence Secretary John Healey.
As part of the broader AUKUS agreement signed in 2021, the three nations will collaborate on constructing nuclear-powered submarines for Australia, with the Royal Australian Navy set to receive the next version of the UK’s Astute-class submarine.
The upcoming treaty will also fall under the AUKUS framework and will outline how the UK and Australia will work together, with a particular focus on delivering the SSN-AUKUS conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
This development follows the signing of a UK-Australia Defence and Security Cooperation Agreement earlier this year, which facilitates cooperation between the armed forces of both countries and allows UK submarine crews to visit Australia.
“As AUKUS partners, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an increasingly unstable world. This partnership will not only enhance jobs, growth, and prosperity across our three nations but also strengthen our collective security,” stated Healey.
Related Stories
Both Australia and the UK are part of the Five Eyes group, alongside Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, as well as the Five Powers Defence Alliance (FPDA) with Malaysia, Singapore, and New Zealand.
Australia holds “enhanced opportunities partner” status at NATO, where the UK is a full member.
An Important Step: Minister
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles highlighted that the new treaty will focus on industrial cooperation and technology transfer, describing it as “a crucial milestone in enabling AUKUS to progress.”
“AUKUS is primarily centered around the construction of submarines in Australia, as well as here in the UK,” he explained.
“We will establish a production line in Adelaide for the building of our future nuclear-powered submarines. There is also a production line here in the UK that will construct the future SSN-AUKUS submarines. We will be operating submarines of the same class.”
This groundbreaking treaty is expected to generate a significant economic boost for the United Kingdom.
It is projected that facilitating the construction in Australia will lead to billions of pounds worth of submarine components being exported from the UK through its defence industry supply chains.
The UK government is investing £4 billion in advancing the submarines through design, prototyping, and initial procurement, as well as an additional £3 billion for new advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Over a period of 10 years, Australia will contribute £2.4 billion to enhance Rolls-Royce infrastructure and share the costs of submarine design.
The three-year anniversary of the AUKUS partnership was commemorated earlier this month, following a breakthrough in defence trade cooperation among the three member nations. The streamlining of bureaucratic processes will facilitate billions of dollars in trade between the participating countries.
