1,000 DAYS OF AUKUS

"Guided by our enduring ideals and shared commitment to the international rules-based order..."

The leaders of Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom stood together 1,000 days ago on 15 September 2021 to announce a landmark trilateral security partnership: AUKUS. 100 days is known as the benchmark for a measure of early success in a US President's four-year term. For the multigenerational effort that is AUKUS, the 1,000-day mark is more appropriate.

The historic announcement was immediately praised -- and criticised. Depending where one sat, this was either the most important step forward in regional security in a generation, or a threatening undertaking, distracting us from diplomatic and economic efforts. The first 1,000 days of AUKUS have seen moments of triumph as well as challenge. For the United States to agree to share its crown jewels, the secret behind the area where the US has unquestionable military superiority, was both an enormous compliment and a looming burden for Australia. First Prime Minister Morrison and then Prime Minister Albanese recognised the great responsibility Australia would have to undertake to be able to secure and utilise the information, technology, and training the United States was willing to share.

Smoothing over the fracas with the French, carefully navigating nonproliferation agreements, and reassuring an uncertain Indo-Pacific region were among the first hurdles AUKUS leaders had to overcome. Together and separately, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom embarked on a global diplomatic campaign to quell the surge in uncertainty and misinformation, and explain to their citizens and the world why Australia, the anchor of democracy in the Pacific, required the most advanced, lethal maritime capability as soon as possible. Discussion centred on Australia’s ability to use this technology to deter aggression and maintain a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific in an increasingly deteriorating geostrategic environment.

Then came convincing Congress: A most formidable challenge. Recently better known for delays and disagreements than for expediting overhauls to complex legislation, the House and the Senate showed bipartisanship, courage, and commitment in the case of AUKUS. The legislation passed the congress through the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA). In further positive steps towards realising AUKUS, the US State Department has released proposed ITAR changes for public and industry input. The first Australian submariners have graduated from the US Navy’s Submarine Officer Basic Course, the last step in the US Navy’s nuclear submarine training pipeline before being assigned to Virginia-class submarines. AmCham Member BAE Systems and the ASC have have been selected to build Australia’s SSN‑AUKUS submarines through a joint venture.

AmCham members surveyed on the progress made over the past 1,000 days of AUKUS noted the passage of relevant legislation in all three countries as a reason to be optimistic:

• "The barriers are falling," noted one respondent, "not least regulatory and cultural. Greater alignment between our systems and industrial bases."
• Others noted the immense importance, or as one respondent put it, "the strategic imperative behind the AUKUS concept," as a cause for optimism.
• It simply "has to happen," wrote another.

But the AmCham members surveyed also raised concerns:

• The "rate of progress" and "lack of urgency and seriousness," as well as meeting production requirements and sufficient consultation with industry, have been key questions around the ambitious targets set under the AUKUS banner.
• As outlined in January's edition of The CEO Message, more than half of the world's population will head to the ballot box this year. The United Kingdom general election, US presidential election, and an Australian election by May 2025 all generate hesitancy over the political capital of AUKUS in changing administrations.

There will undoubtedly be many more moments of opportunity and uncertainty before the first Virginia Class SSN is transferred to the Royal Australian Navy. Through it all, AmCham will remain committed to providing members with unparalleled access to opportunity for information, access, advocacy, and visibility on this historic trilateral initiative.