Pentagon says AUKUS will have ‘significant benefit’ to America, amid secretive review

Mr Taylor said the deal was a vital part of Australia’s national security framework and it was important for our allies to remain firmly committed to its success.

His comments come after War Department senior adviser Alexander Velez-Green told a US Congressional hearing the deal would provide America with “significant benefit”, despite a series of production and capacity challenges, that were being investigated to ensure the deal was viable for all parties.

War Department senior adviser Alexander Velez-Green told a US Congressional hearing AUKUS would provide America with “significant benefit”, despite a series of production and capacity challenges, that were being investigated to ensure the deal was viable for all parties. Picture: NewsWire / Morgan Sette

“Part of that was taking into account the submarine industrial base, production timelines, capacity issues … (which) continue to be a challenge,” Mr Velez-Green said on Thursday local time.

“We did get, I think, additional insight into the state of things and where we are going on the production issue, on other aspects … all with the goal of making this as strong and enduring as possible.

“It is our view – consistent with what the president said with Prime Minister Albanese recently – that it is in our interest for this to work.

“We do gain significant benefit from it, because we want to make it as strong as possible.”

The shadow defence minister told NewsWire the reality was that industrial capacity and production timelines had always been among the biggest challenges to delivering the submarines.

Mr Taylor said while these issues did not threaten the deal itself, they did underline the need for clear planning, funding and transparency from the Albanese government.

“Australians deserve to know how these challenges will be managed and when real capability will be delivered,” he said.

Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor welcomed the Pentagon’s strongest public endorsement of AUKUS, following a highly secretive review that stoked fears the trilateral deal could be knocked off the table. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We are living through in the most dangerous and uncertain times since the Second World War, Australia’s focus must always be on deterrence and ensuring peace and stability in our region.

“AUKUS is about giving Australia the capability and confidence to defend our national interest, not to escalate conflict.

“Ultimately, we can’t deliver on AUKUS or meet the strategic challenges ahead without lifting defence spending to at least three per cent of GDP.

“That must be done as a matter of urgency if we’re serious about building and sustaining the capability our nation needs.”

Last month, Anthony Albanese wrapped up a whirlwind trip to the United States, where he signed a landmark critical minerals deal, but also secured the first public endorsement of the defence pact from Donald Trump.

This was the American leader’s the first public display of support for the agreement since he took office in January and placed the pact under review.

The assessment, which came as a surprise to Australia, sparked concerns the pact could be scrapped, leaving the nation billions of dollars worse-off and in need of urgently re-evaluating its modern defence strategy.