By Matthew Mai
The AUKUS security pact is an ambitious undertaking. The sale of three to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) to Australia in the early 2030s would be just the second time the United States has shared the “crown jewels” of its military technology with another country.
But today the industrial base for the construction of US submarines can’t meet the force level requirements of its own navy, much less sell several of its most valuable warfighting assets to an ally. And if current projections hold, things are going to get worse before they get better. It is unlikely the United States will be able to deliver SSNs within the timeline laid out for AUKUS Pillar I.
This piece was originally published in Lowy Institute on February 1, 2024. Read more HERE.