Defence Secretary met with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia Richard
Marles today for the first meeting of the AUKUS defence
ministers.
AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership announced in September
2021, comprising Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United
States.
Meeting at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., all three nations
reiterated their shared commitment to the partnership and
reviewed progress on identifying a conventionally armed,
nuclear‑powered submarine for the Royal Australian Navy.
They also agreed plans for joint military exercises in 2023 and
2024 which will further enhance partners’ abilities to operate
together.
UK Secretary of State for Defence said:
This first trilateral meeting is a landmark moment in the AUKUS
partnership.
AUKUS reflects the unique level of trust and cooperation the UK
shares with its US and Australian partners, and I look forward to
enhancing our technologies and capabilities together.
Discussions also covered the development of advanced capabilities
including hypersonic weapons and undersea intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Richard Marles of
Australia said:
AUKUS is a partnership built on trust, commitment and
determination in the service of a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.
Together we hope to be able to progress developments in advanced
capabilities and discuss the optimal pathway for Australia to
acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said:
We announced this historic endeavor in September 2021, and the
need for AUKUS is even clearer today.
More than ever, our three countries share a similar outlook on
the key challenges and opportunities confronting our world.
The Defence Secretary and his counterparts also committed to
continued transparency with international partners on AUKUS,
emphasising that the partnership will complement existing
security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific such as
the Association
of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and engage closely
with them.
A Joint
Statement was issued following the meeting outlining
AUKUS’ progress so far, as well as future commitments.
Defence Secretary also conducted bilateral talks with his US and
Australian counterparts.
Speaking with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the Defence
Secretary welcomed the publication of the new US National Defense
Strategy which provides a narrative on Russia and China which
strongly aligns with the UK’s own Integrated Review.
The Defence Secretary thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Defence
Minister of Australia Richard Marles for the decision to deploy
Australian Defence Force personnel to the UK to support
the UK-led
training programme for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
which will commence in January 2023. The pair also discussed
opportunities for even greater defence collaboration between the
UK and Australia, in addition to the AUKUS partnership.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, and the
Ministry of Defence’ Permanent Secretary were also in Washington for
the AUKUS trilateral meeting. Both had separate meetings with
their counterparts to discuss US-UK nuclear cooperation, support
to Ukraine, and progress on the AUKUS partnership.
