Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States are mulling the possibility of welcoming the contributions of other countries in Pillar 2 of their AUKUS security partnership.
AUKUS has two lines of effort: Pillar 1 is focused on aiding Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines while Pillar 2 will explore the integration of emerging technologies in military operations.
Pillar 1 will remain a trilateral effort, but Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security ambassador, said Pillar 2 might eventually involve other allies.
“I think right now what we want to do is make sure that we have a good, solid basis amongst the three countries in terms of the emerging technologies… how they might be integrated into our military and how we can work together and focus on interoperability,” she said during a conversation hosted by the Atlantic Council.
The technologies covered by Pillar 2 include artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum computing, advanced cyber, electronic warfare, undersea equipment, and hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities.
Jenkins, who leads AUKUS implementation for the Department of State, also noted that the three nations will still need to work on export controls and streamline information and technology-sharing
