AUKUS

Guided weapons manufacturing, an AUKUS submarine base, and a frigate program are among the initiatives set to be announced by Richard Marles during the budget.

2 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) launcher vehicles arrive in Australia as the government orders $200 million missiles for AUKUS submarines.

Joe Courtney, former Chair and now ranking member of an influential Congressional subcommittee, says bipartisan support for AUKUS is ‘quite extraordinary.’

The first steps towards realising the AUKUS defence pact have begun with the arrival of the USS Minnesota.

This comes as President Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table after the US cut aid.

‘The president is implementing the agenda he was elected to implement,” Foreign Minister Wong

Wong met with Rubio and the leaders of U.S, Australia, India and Japan, where they discussed a a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles is confident America’s new commander-in-chief will back the nuclear-powered submarine project.

AUKUS is designed as a counterweight to Beijing’s ongoing aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

A snap investigation into the Australian Submarine Agency, as the U.S. Navy seeks emergency funding for its submarine programme.

Former Defence Force Chief Angus Houston has called for a rise to 3 percent in military spending, without which the cost of AUKUS will drain too much in funds.

Other nations have, or claim to have, the technology and to have conducted successful tests so Australia, the UK, and US are racing to catch up.

The Australian government and opposition have moved to assuage concerns about a second Trump presidency.

Director of Strategic Analysis Australia Michael Shoebridge says the technology exchange part of AUKUS matters more, but is in trouble.

Lack of shipbuilding capacity and Australia’s refusal to unquestioningly back the US in regional conflicts are among reasons AUKUS might not happen.

The Australia Institute has told a Senate Committee that the lack of planning for AUKUS is ‘deeply worrying.’

The total price tag is still unknown but the government says the Western Australian facility will create 10,000 jobs.

Though the public view of China broadly follows that of the government in each Five Eyes country, there are significant differences in the detail, a study finds

In an interview in New Zealand, Richard Marles responded to criticism and questions about Australia’s commitment to the environment and regional security.