A leading American think tank has urged Australia to provide the US with “concrete” pledges on how it would deploy nuclear-powered submarines if conflict breaks out.
The report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) comes as Defence Minister Richard Marles holds talks with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington today.
The future of the AUKUS pact, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered, but not armed, submarines from the US and Britain, is likely to be top of the agenda.
The three-way alliance was announced in 2021 to contend with growing Chinese military might in the Asia-Pacific region.
It would deliver Australia at least eight submarines including three to five second-hand US Virginia-class submarines. Britain and Australia would co-operate to build their own SSN-AUKUS submarines.
But in June, Hegseth announced the Trump administration was launching a review into the AUKUS agreement. There are concerns that the US won’t provide Australia with its first Virginia-class submarine by the early 2030s as planned because Americian submarine building was behind schedule.
US officials have also sought to tie delivery of the submarines to Australia increasing its defence spending. There have also been reports the US wants guarantees from Australia it would deploy the submarines to help Taiwan combat any future attack by China.
The CSIS report says AUKUS is at a “critical juncture”, urging all three countries to ensure its success.
It backs the Trump administration’s review of the agreement, but warns discarding AUKUS would make the US “less capable” in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Australian naval base HMAS Stirling in Perth can help the US Navy strengthen its submarine deployment in the region, the think tank noted.
The CSIS report says Australian should retain control over the nuclear submarines, but start in-depth “contingency planning” with the US about how Australian nuclear-powered submarines might be used in a war.
“Planning, in which military strategists from the United States and Australia would jointly undergo a comprehensive process of strategising and organising military operations to achieve specific objectives, would provide US officials with more concrete reassurances that submarines sold to Australia would not disappear if and when needed,” the report says.
“It could also preserve Australian sovereignty in developing the plan and, if necessary, in determining implementation during a crisis.”
The Australian government confirmed in late July it had paid the Trump administration a second $800 million installment on the AUKUS deal. The first $800 million was paid in February.
The submarines are expected cost Australia up to $380 billion.
Australia has invested $1.5 billion in the US submarine industry, with another $1.5 billion to be paid before the end of this year. It has agreed to contribute a total of $4.6 billion to uplift the US submarine base, and it has sent both industry personnel to train at Amercian shipyards and naval personnel for submarine training in the US.
© 2025, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
