The Pentagon has completed its review of the landmark AUKUS defence pact involving Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, confirming that the trilateral submarine program remains on track despite earlier uncertainty under the Trump administration.
Announced on Friday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the United States intends to “move forward with the historic and ambitious AUKUS agenda,” reaffirming the Biden and Trump-era commitment to strengthening defence capability in the Indo-Pacific. The $368 billion partnership will see Australia acquire nuclear-powered — but not nuclear-armed — submarines to counter China’s growing military influence in the region.
Earlier this year, US officials began re-examining the 2021 agreement after questions emerged about its compatibility with former President Donald Trump’s “America First” defence posture. Parnell said the newly completed review identified “opportunities to put AUKUS on the strongest possible footing”, though he declined to provide specific details.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the Albanese government had received the US review document but did not disclose its contents.
In Washington, US Congressman Joe Courtney — a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and one of the strongest political supporters of AUKUS — welcomed the findings. He noted the agreement had “fully endorsed” the continuation of the pact and emphasised that AUKUS aligns with Trump’s national security principles.
Courtney highlighted that the partnership has now endured three changes of government across all three nations, demonstrating its strategic stability and bipartisan support. He reaffirmed that Australia remains on course to receive at least three US-built Virginia-class nuclear submarines by the early 2030s, though he warned that the report also outlines several “critical deadlines” that must be met.
AUKUS, signed in 2021, represents one of the most significant military collaborations in Australia’s history, reshaping the nation’s maritime capabilities and deepening strategic ties with the US and UK. The deal is expected to reshape defence posture in the Indo-Pacific for decades to come.
