AUKUS

[Lonewolf_50]

Hopefully, during the AUKUS process, our friends in Australia will share a few lessons learned on stealth. I think they were on to something...and it seems a lot less expensive than the Zumwalt class DDG.

[golder]

An announcement coming soon
AUKUS progress: Richard Marles heads for Singapore where underwater drones on agenda

‘Marquee project’ on underwater vehicles to kickstart AUKUS pillar two

Australia, the United States and Britain are preparing to announce a significant collaboration on uncrewed underwater vehicles as part of AUKUS, a move that proponents hope will tamp down industry disquiet about the slow progress of the pact’s second pillar.The marquee project will be announced at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security conference, at the end of this month, according to multiple sources familiar with the plans who were not authorised to speak publicly.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth (left) and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles are expected to meet again at the Shangri-La Dialogue.Getty ImagesThree of the people said the project related to unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), which have recently been the focus of joint testing and maritime exercises by the three countries off Australia’s east coast.

One person familiar with the plans said the project would involve sharing critical payloads for a range of UUVs, such as submarine-detecting sensors, equipment or weapons. Such technologies would typically be classified.

Defence Minister Richard Marles is expected to meet his US and UK counterparts at next week’s Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

At an AUKUS roundtable at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Tuesday, held under the Chatham House Rule, a person confirmed a significant statement on pillar two was expected at that meeting.

Now that the Pentagon’s review of AUKUS had been completed, “we are getting back to normal, we are getting back to business on delivering”, the person said.

The imminent announcement was also discussed at a recent AUKUS industry conference in Washington hosted by Pyne and Partners, the defence lobbying outfit founded by former defence minister Christopher Pyne.

“On the AUKUS pillar two signature project announcement – because it’s pre-decision, I can’t go into a huge amount [of detail] on that, but there’s already been more than one project discussed,” one person told the summit, also held under the Chatham House Rule.

“The idea is for it to be a drumbeat [for more projects]. The idea is that there will be both things that are relatively low-cost and high-production, in terms of scale, and other things that are going to be very high-cost but lower-batch quantities of items.”

The Pentagon declined to comment.

[ORAC]

Well that answers that question - stopped at Gibraltar to unload, not load, weapons. Now back in the UK.

So much for the extended detachment down in Australia.

Video

https://x.com/WarshipsIFR/status/205...348459411?s=20

The @RoyalNavy Astute Class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) HMS Anson is seen here inbound to @HMNBDevonport Plymouth this afternoon.

Deploying to Australia at the beginning of 2026, she was ordered to somewhere in the Indian Ocean (it is presumed) after the Iran War erupted in late Feb, then sailed into Gibraltar about a week ago.

Heading for the UK after a few days alongside, it was speculated HMS Anson would be needing some kind of maintenance period. Devonport Dockyard is the main place for such work.

Video courtesy of @StephenJagger4

[Biggus]

C-17 flights from Prestwick (closest large airfield to Faslane) to Gibraltar....spares runs?

Putting into Plymouth.....maintenance?

Planned long term deployment to Australia?

Our only available SSN would appear to be less than fully serviceable.

[Davef68]

If it's in for maintenance, it might need to wait a bit, there's a queue.

Neither Artful or Ambush at Faslane look like they are going anywhere soon

Ambush last at sea 1392 days ago. (3.81 years) Artful last at sea 1119 days ago. (3.06 years) Neither in an official refit, like Audacious which is at 1149 Days (3.14 years). Astute is in refit at 328 Days, with no dry dock yet available due to the former.

https://x.com/TBrit90/status/2058549690300297220

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Biggus

C-17 flights from Prestwick (closest large airfield to Faslane) to Gibraltar....spares runs?

.

Isn't Glasgow closer?

[rattman]

Kegseth, Marles and Healey did a press conference at the Shangri La meeting, no real something about UUSV operating in the pacific and SEA

But a press release did say that instead of 2 used boats of blk 3 or 4 it and 1 new block 5 without a VPM it would 3 used boats. Never specified the blk

[Biggus]

Given the UK's reluctance to actually spend any money on defence, as opposed to talking about it, and the UK track record in the Tempest program, if I was the US or Australia I wouldn't expect the UK to deliver much for AUKUS.

[artee]

Originally Posted by Biggus

Given the UK's reluctance to actually spend any money on defence, as opposed to talking about it, and the UK track record in the Tempest program, if I was the US or Australia I wouldn't expect the UK to deliver much for AUKUS.

Sad but true. It's currently looking like the UK are going to leave Japan & Italy in the lurch with Tempest.

[rattman]

Originally Posted by artee

Sad but true. It's currently looking like the UK are going to leave Japan & Italy in the lurch with Tempest.

Yep agree thats why I think it was very important that the RN SSN came to australia as planned. It was largely symbolic


Also the initial japanese plan for GCAP was they signed up for the technology part do much the same they did with the F2. Take the technoloigy concepts and make their own fighter. Maybe the agreement evolved over the years to taking a GCAP as is