With the British announcing that the SSN AUKUS program will be advanced and increased to at least 12 submarines for the RN and, the Trump administration’s review of the AUKUS agreement, it would make a suitable time to refine the “Preferred Pathway”. If the US were to assist the UK in accelerating the SSN AUKUS program, it could result in earlier availability for Australia. This could result in less Virginia’s required for RAN service thus enabling the USN to retain them which appears to be the biggest concern that the Trump administration has.
It would still require all three nations to work hard to make the project come together in the tight timeframe but, it could be a less messy “Preferred Pathway” than the original.