Richard Marles, Australian deputy prime minister and defense minister, has acknowledged challenges in Australia’s trilateral partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom but remains optimistic about its progress.
One of the issues Marles raised in an interview with Breaking Defense was the delay in the production of Virginia-class submarines, which represents the first pillar of the AUKUS security pact. Marles expressed confidence in meeting the project’s targets, emphasizing Australia’s efforts to support the U.S. defense industrial base to accelerate production and avoid a capability gap by the early 2030s.
“Is it challenging? Yes. Did we know it was challenging? Yes. Are we confident about our ability to meet the challenge? Yes, is the answer,” Marles asserted.
Amid concerns from Australian defense firms about job losses due to AUKUS, Marles assured that the initiative will ultimately lead to a significant boost in the Australian defense industry.
On Pillar II of the AUKUS agreement, which focuses on technology sharing, Marles stressed the need for further collaboration to establish effective frameworks and structures.
“I think we do need to look at how we can have our systems more harmonized to drive this in an enduring way. Getting those legal frameworks and structures right is foundational in actually achieving what we’re trying to achieve,” the defense chief said.
When it comes to streamlining defense trade across the three nations, which is also among the provisions under Pillar II, Marles noted that while the U.S. State Department has yet to certify Australia’s standards for easing export controls, he is confident the process is on track.
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