Parliamentary Committees and Public Enquiries
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AUKUS: Government must do more – and do it faster
The UK Government must inject renewed impetus into AUKUS – a landmark defence partnership with Australia and the United States – if it is to deliver on its potential, a report by the Defence Committee has found.
The report, published today (28 April), warns that the scale and ambition of AUKUS means that it needs visible political leadership from the Prime Minister to counter the political drift that could see it derailed. Without this leadership, the Committee is not confident that the cross-government coordination, prioritisation and pace required to deliver AUKUS will be achieved.
The new submarine class to be built under “Pillar 1” of AUKUS – the SSN-AUKUS – will form the cornerstone of UK security in the Euro-Atlantic region.
Timely investment in UK submarine build and investment facilities to support SSN-AUKUS is critical: failure risks jeopardising the UK’s defence and security, and damaging our relationships with our trilateral partners.
With progress in some areas having already fallen short, the Government must do more — and do it faster — to seize the opportunity that AUKUS presents and demonstrate the UK’s firm commitment to making it a success.
Chair comment
Chair of the Defence Committee, Tan Dhesi MP, said:
“AUKUS is a once-in-a-generation chance to deliver state-of-the-art military capabilities, bolster the UK’s defence industrial base and skills, and to strengthen the UK’s relations with its partners, the US and Australia.
“The opportunities AUKUS presents are great, but so are the challenges it poses. While the promise of AUKUS remains, our inquiry uncovered shortcomings and failings that place it under threat.
“Any undertaking of this scale requires committed, consistent political will and leadership. Unfortunately, we found that the UK’s political leadership on AUKUS has dwindled. AUKUS can’t be seen as just another defence programme; if it is to stay on track then leadership must come from the very top. The Prime Minister should be an advocate for AUKUS within Whitehall – he must play a much more visible role in promoting and driving it forward. Without this clear political direction, we have serious doubts that AUKUS can be delivered.
“AUKUS has already started to hit bumps in the road. Submarine availability is critically low. Without urgent infrastructure improvements at HMNB Devonport and HMNB Clyde the Government risks finding itself unable to meet its obligations under AUKUS. Likewise, Barrow-in-Furness is absolutely essential to the success of AUKUS, and more investment needs to be made in the area.
“We have deep concerns cracks are already beginning to show when it comes to funding. The investment pipeline has already faltered. This cannot be allowed to happen again. Even seemingly minor shortfalls and delays snowball over time, with potentially severe consequences for the UK and wider Euro-Atlantic security, and our standing with our trilateral partners.
“It is in all of our interests for AUKUS to be a success. Failure to show leadership and maintain momentum carries a heavy price.”
Shortcomings and failings in AUKUS delivery
The Committee’s inquiry found that there are signs that the investment pipeline that underpins the UK’s AUKUS commitment has already faltered, warning that this cannot be allowed to happen again.
Meeting the UK’s commitment to increase visits to Australia from its Astute-class SSNs will be essential to maintaining credibility with AUKUS partners, today’s report finds, but it comes at a time when UK submarine availability is already critically low, and against a backdrop of deepening concern about the readiness of the Royal Navy. The Government must deliver infrastructure improvements at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth and HMNB Clyde at pace to relieve pressure on the current fleet and prepare for SSN-AUKUS.
The town of Barrow-in-Furness is home to the UK’s only submarine build facility and plays an essential role in AUKUS, and the UK’s wider defence and security. With the success of AUKUS dependent on attracting and retaining a skilled workforce at BAE Systems’ site in Barrow, today’s report calls for more investment in Barrow from central Government: the town’s planned regeneration is too big to fail.
Strengthening cooperation with AUKUS partners
The Committee expresses deep concern over the Government’s failure to recognise the impact of barriers to workforce movement across the trilateral. It warns of bottlenecks; future backlogs and delays could threaten the delivery of SSN-AUKUS in the UK and Australia.
The Committee calls for the urgent removal of workforce mobility barriers, including considering an AUKUS visa.
Pillar 2 must restore credibility and deliver tangible results
“Pillar 2” of AUKUS will see the UK, US and Australia collaborate on advanced technologies such as hypersonics and AI, but the Committee finds that it faces an uphill battle to restore credibility after a disappointing start.
New capabilities must be delivered to the warfighter urgently if Pillar 2 is to succeed. The Committee also calls for a more joined-up approach to be taken within Whitehall to ensure that the UK maximises the potential prosperity benefits of Pillar 2.
Further information
Original article link: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee/news/213346/aukus-government-must-do-more-and-do-it-faster/
