The Pentagon has completed its review of the trilateral AUKUS security agreement, top department spokesperson Sean Parnell has confirmed.
While the review has yet to be released publicly, Parnell in a statement affirmed the department concluded the security pact between the U.S., Australia and United Kingdom should move “full steam ahead” consistent with President Donald Trump’s guidance.
“The purpose of the review was to identify opportunities to strengthen AUKUS and ensure its long-term success, in alignment with President Trump’s America First agenda,” Parnell said. “During the review, the Department consulted extensively with the U.S. interagency as well as Australia and the United Kingdom.”
“The review identified opportunities to put AUKUS on the strongest possible footing. This review is intended to inform the President and our allies as we move forward with the historic and ambitious AUKUS agenda,” Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), ranking member on the House Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee, confirmed lawmakers have also received the Pentagon’s AUKUS review. He added the assessment “correctly determined that its framework is aligned with our country’s national security interest.”
“The AUKUS report reaffirms that Congress and our Australian allies must continue that effort to achieve the goals of AUKUS,” Courtney said in a statement. “Expanding the submarine workforce, supply chain, and facilities to even greater capacity is the clear pathway to meet the demands of U.S. submarine fleet requirements and those of our ally Australia,”
The AUKUS agreement includes the future sale of Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines to Australia.
Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily first published a version of this story.