AUKUS defense ministers issue joint statement after meeting

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and UK Defense Secretary John Healey met at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the AUKUS partnership, outlining fresh steps on submarines, advanced capabilities, and industrial integration.

The officials said AUKUS Pillar I remains on schedule to deliver Australia a conventionally armed, nuclear‑powered submarine capability. They confirmed key milestones for the Submarine Rotational Force–West (SRF‑West) and said the necessary arrangements for its establishment in 2027 are now complete. The United States has authorized creation of Navy support elements for SRF‑West and will begin rotating the first U.S. Navy personnel to HMAS Stirling later this year. The United Kingdom restated plans for a rotational presence as part of SRF‑West and cited a successful maintenance period conducted earlier this year by HMS Anson.

Australia’s planned investments include up to AUD 8 billion for infrastructure and logistics at SRF‑West at HMAS Stirling, an initial AUD 3.9 billion for a new Submarine Construction Yard in South Australia, and AUD 12 billion for the Henderson Defense Precinct, including support for contingency docking and depot‑level maintenance.

The three governments endorsed a proposed approach to streamline Australia’s acquisition of Virginia‑class submarines, aiming to simplify supply chains, better align operations and maintenance, and lower costs. Under this approach, Australia would obtain three in‑service Virginia‑class boats rather than a mix of new and in‑service variants.

They also noted continued progress on the design and delivery of the SSN‑AUKUS platform for the UK and Australia, supported by investments from both countries, including GBP 6 billion the UK committed in 2025.

Under Pillar II, the partners announced the first Signature Project: development of advanced payloads and enabling systems for their uncrewed undersea vehicles, with initial delivery beginning in 2027. The effort is intended to strengthen protection of critical seabed infrastructure; enable cutting‑edge surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike options; support logistics; and enhance advantages in anti‑submarine and anti‑surface warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, and contested littoral operations.

The officials also backed an expansion of the AUKUS license‑free environment by quickly narrowing the list of excluded technologies, and they highlighted the role of the Advanced Capabilities Industry Forum in deepening collaboration across the trilateral defense industrial base.