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OPINION NOVEMBER 18, 2022 | The Indian Eye 9

One Year of AUKUS: An Assessment

of Progress and Challenges

Since the announcement of AUKUS, China has been steadfast in its opposition to the trilateral defense agreement. It must
be noted that the SSNs of both the US and the UK use highly enriched uranium (HEU) to power their nuclear reactors

R. VIGNESH & ABHAY KUMAR SINGH velopments that have happened so far to provide Royal Australian Navy commitment to the core objectives
and analyses the possible challenges (RAN) with deployment opportu- of AUKUS, the statement called for
he announcement of AUKUS in order to understand the scope of nities in both the Indian and Pacific promoting deeper integration of in-
by the leaders of Australia, the AUKUS, a year since its conception. Oceans. On 24 March 2022, the Aus- dustrial bases, accelerating defense
TUnited Kingdom (UK) and the AUKUS was set in motion with tralian Government announced plans innovation and fostering resilient sup-
United States (US) on 15 Septem- the signing of ENNPIA by the then to expand its largest shipbuilding fa- ply chains.
ber 2021 stunned the global strategic Australian Defense Minister Pe- cility, Osborne Shipyard, situated on Since the announcement of
community. The sharing of the cov- ter Dutton on 22 November 2021. the Southern Coast of Australia near AUKUS, China has been steadfast in
eted naval nuclear propulsion tech- Subsequently, on 9 December 2021, Adelaide. As the shipyard is already its opposition to the trilateral defense
nology for nuclear attack submarines AUKUS’s first joint steering meet- engaged in the construction of nine agreement. It must be noted that the
(SSN) with Australia by the US and ing was held in Washington DC. hunter-class frigates for the RAN, the SSNs of both the US and the UK use
UK was the hallmark of the AUKUS The most significant outcome of this expansion would facilitate the con- highly enriched uranium (HEU) to
agreement. Apart from enabling Aus- meeting was the decision taken by the struction of SSNs. power their nuclear reactors. In com-
tralia to acquire eight SSNs, the three three countries to expand the trilater- On 15 June 2022, the Australia– parison to reactors that run on Low
countries pledged to develop ad- al cooperation under advanced tech- US Submarine Officers Pipeline Act Enriched Uranium (LEU), the HEU
vanced capabilities in the areas of cy- nologies beyond the four initial areas was introduced in the US Congress. reactors have a longer shelf-life of
ber technology, Artificial Intelligence that were highlighted in AUKUS’s The purpose of this Bill is to enable nearly 30 years which is equivalent to
(AI), quantum technologies and ad- maiden joint statement. Subsequent- Australian submariners to receive the operational life of the submarine
vanced underwater vehicles (AUVs). ly, on 8 February 2022, the ENNPIA training in the US Navy Nuclear Pro- itself.
The AUKUS announcement was his- entered into force. The record pace pulsion School in South Carolina and Australia, through the AUKUS
toric given that the last time such sen- of the finalization of ENNPIA and also serve aboard operational US deal, is bound to receive similar nu-
sitive technology was shared was over the short interval of three months Navy SSNs. In the following month, clear propulsion technology that
six decades ago, as part of the 1958 from signing to entry into force, for the readout of the AUKUS Joint would involve the transfer of HEU.
UK–US Mutual Defense Agreement. analysts, is reflective of the high pri- Steering Group Meeting indicat- On 26 November 2021, address-
For facilitating the sharing of this ority the three governments attached ed the fast-tracking of efforts in the ing the International Atomic Energy
critical technology under AUKUS, to implementing AUKUS. On 19 working groups of hypersonics and Agency (IAEA), Chinese Ambassa-
a legally binding tripartite agree- February 2022, Foreign Ministers of cyber technologies. In the last week dor Wang Qun described AUKUS
ment known as the Exchange of Na- AUKUS countries met for the first of August, Australia’s Defense Minis- as a major violation of the nuclear
val Nuclear Propulsion Information time in person on the sidelines of the ter, Richard Marles, visited the UK. non-proliferation treaty (NPT). He
Agreement (ENNPIA) was signed Munich Security Conference and re- During his visit, he participated in the accused the AUKUS nations of show-
in Canberra on 22 November 2021. viewed the progress. commissioning of the Royal Navy’s ing double standards regarding nucle-
Since then, significant progress has On 7 March 2022, then Austra- fifth Astute Class SSN HMS Anson. ar proliferation by pointing out their
been made in erecting the governing lian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, Marles announced that Austra- current opposition to Iran’s nuclear
framework for facilitating the manu- announced an AUD 10 billion plan lian submariners would receive train- programme and their historic oppo-
facture of eight SSNs and other ad- for the construction of new subma- ing aboard the Astute Class SSNs. sition to Canada’s SSN programme
vanced capabilities. At the same time, rine bases for the SSNs acquired Commemorating one year since during the 1980s.
however, AUKUS is confronted with through AUKUS. the announcement of AUKUS, a On 6 June 2022, Ambassador
many challenges on the horizon. This The bases are likely to be locat- Joint Statement was issued on 23 Qun once again in his address to the
Brief makes an assessment of the de- ed on the eastern coast of Australia September 2022. While reaffirming Continued at next page... >>

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