AUKUS Working Group Issues Statement As New Details Of The Trilateral Defense Alliance Emerge

Statement

Today, Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), and Blake Moore (R-UT), Co-Chairs of the newly formed Congressional AUKUS Working Group, issued a statement welcoming the update from the leaders of the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) partnership regarding progress on the implementation of the new defense alliance. The announcement from President Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined new details of the AUKUS alliance, including a commitment between the three nations to jointly develop hypersonic weapons and capabilities to protect against them, undersea drones, advanced cyber capabilities, and other technologies in addition to the "crown jewel" of the agreement: nuclear submarine propulsion technology. Click here to read more.

"The trilateral statement on the implementation of the AUKUS partnership is an encouraging update of the work done to date to translate that security agreement from a concept into real, tangible change," said the Co-Chairs in a joint statement. "The statement identifies key action components in the short-term focused on unmanned undersea capabilities and quantum computer technologies, AI, and hypersonics. For the long-term work on development of a nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarine, the statement describes concrete steps to establish submarine basing, a nuclear-qualified workforce, and new submarine construction facility. The bipartisan AUKUS Working Group looks forward to connecting with key officials in the Administration and British and UK Embassies to sustain Congressional support for this critical effort."

The AUKUS Working Group, also known as the AUKUS Caucus, was founded by Reps. Courtney, Gallagher, Kilmer, and Moore, and will serve as the go-to panel in the U.S. Congress for implementation of and collaboration on the new undersea alliance. The members announced formation of the new bipartisan working group last week. Click here to read more.