Pentagon launches review of Aukus nuclear submarine deal

The Pentagon launched a review of the AUKUS 2021 submarine deal with the United Kingdom and Australia, and threw the security agreement in doubt in an increased time tension with China.

The review to determine whether the United States should cancel the project leadership by Elbridge Colby, a Supreme Ministry of Defense official who previously expressed doubts AukusAccording to six people, they are aware of this issue.

Ending the Development Development Agreement and Advanced Future would destroy a column of security cooperation between the allies. The review sparked anxiety in London and Anbara.

While Aukus received strong support from American legislators and experts, some critics say it can undermine the security of the country because the navy is struggling to produce more American submarines with the high threat from Beijing.

Australia and Britain refer to the production of a submarine category of attack known as SSN-Aukus, which will be involved in service in the early 1940s.

But the United States has committed Sell ​​up to five submarines of Virginia category To Australia of 2032 to bridge the gap because it retired from its current fleet of ships.

Certainly, this commitment will decrease if the United States withdraws from Owokos.

Last year, Colby wrote on x He was skeptical in Aukus and that it would be “crazy” that the United States has fewer nuclear powder submarines, known as SSN, in the event of a struggle for Taiwan.

In March, Colby said it would be “wonderful” to have SSN, but he warned of “a very real threat to conflict in the coming years” and that the American SSNS would be “very necessary” to defend Taiwan.

Skeptical Nuclear technology sharing agreement It also wondered whether the United States should help Australia to obtain submarines without an explicit commitment to use them in any war with China.

Court Campbell, Deputy Secretary of State in the Biden Administration, who was the American architect of Okos last year, stressed the importance of SSNS that could work closely with the United States in the case of a War on Taiwan. But Canberra was publicly not related to the need for ships to a struggle for Taiwan.

The review comes amid the escalating anxiety among our allies about some of the Trump administration positions. Colby has requested the United Kingdom and other European allies to focus more on the Atlantic Europe region and R.Establish their activity in the Indian Pacific Ocean.

Jin Shaheen, the largest democratic of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the administration that the news of the retreat of Okos “will meet cheers in Beijing, which is already celebrating the global withdrawal of America and our tense relations with the allies during the era of President Trump.”

Shaheen said: “Canceling this partnership will increase America’s reputation and ask more questions between our closest defense partners about our time.”

“In a moment when we face increasing threats from China and Russia, we must encourage our partners to raise their defensive spending and partnership with them on the latest technology – we do not do the opposite.”

A person familiar with Aukus said that Canebera and London said, “I do not believe” about AUKUS review.

“Okos is the most essential military and strategic pledge between the United States, Australia and Great Britain in generations,” Campbell told the Financial Times.

“The efforts made to increase coordination, defensive spending and joint ambition must be welcomed. Any bureaucratic effort to undermine AUKUS will lead to a crisis in trust between our closest security and political partners.”

Pentagon pushed Australia to strengthen it Defense spending. US Defense Minister Beit Higseth urged Canberra this month to raise spending from 2 percent of GDP to 3.5 percent. In response, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albaniz said: “We will define our defensive policy.”

“The Australian defense spending has increased gradually, but he does not do so as soon as possible than other democratic countries, nor with a sufficient rate to push both Aukus and its current traditional power,” said Charles Edel, an Australian expert at the center of thought in CSIS in Washington.

John Lee, a defense expert in Australia at the Hudson Institute, said that the pressure is increasing on Canberra because the United States was focusing on the deterrence of China from the invasion of Taiwan this contract. He added that the Australian Navy will quickly weaken if it does not increase defense spending to 3 percent of GDP.

He told me: “This is unacceptable to the Trump administration.” If Australia continues this path, it is possible to imagine if it is not likely that the Trump administration will freeze or cancel the AUKUS 1 column 1 [the part dealing with submarines] To force Australia to focus on increasing its army financing over the next five years. ”

A person familiar with the review said that it is unclear whether Kolby is acting alone or as part of a wider effort by the Trump administration. The person said: “It seems that the feelings are the first, but lack of clarity has confused Congress, other government departments and Australia.”

A Pentagon spokesman said that the administration was retreating Aukus to ensure that “this initiative from the previous administration is in line with the agenda of President” America Verses. ” [defence] The section focuses on the India and Pacific region first and foremost. ”

Many people familiar with the matter said that the review was to take 30 days, but the spokesperson refused to comment on the timing. “Any changes will be connected to the administration’s approach to Okos through official channels, when necessary,” he said.

A British government official said the UK was aware of the review. “This is logical for a new administration,” said the official, who indicated that the work government had also had a review by Coos.

The official added: “We have repeated the strategic importance of the relationship of the United Kingdom and the United States, and we announced an additional defense spending and confirmed our commitment to Aukus.”

The Australian embassy in Washington refused to comment.