AUKUS secures new Pillar II advanced capabilities defence deal
Singapore, May 30
A Pillar-II signature project was announced by Australia, United Kingdom and the US trilateral security partnership in Singapore on Saturday,
Australia's Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey made the joint announcement at the US Embassy in Singapore, where they reaffirmed their commitment to delivering the AUKUS partnership.
The first 'AUKUS Pillar II Signature Project: developing cutting-edge payloads and enabling systems for AUKUS partners' Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles (UUVs)' will see deliveries starting in 2027.
"This project is intended to significantly enhance AUKUS partners' ability to protect critical national seabed infrastructure; deploy cutting-edge surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike capabilities; conduct logistics operations; and bolster superiority in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, and contested littoral manoeuvre," read the joint statement.
It also mentioned that the Pillar I, to support Australia's acquisition of Conventionally-Armed, Nuclear-Powered Submarines, also remains on track.
The statement confirmed that key milestones continue to be met for Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) with the ministers announcing the finalisation of necessary arrangements for the establishment of SRF-West in 2027.
They also welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia's acquisition of Virginia-class submarines (VCS) and acknowledged significant progress in the design and delivery of SSN-AUKUS, which will provide the UK and Australia with an advanced warfighting capability.
The three countries also confirmed their support for expanding the breadth of the AUKUS licence-free environment between AUKUS partners by taking expeditious and practical steps to narrow the list of excluded technologies.
"The signature project will reinforce our collective deterrence efforts and superiority in the maritime domain through the accelerated delivery of advanced capabilities to our warfighters," the statement noted.
"The undersea environment is vital to the security and prosperity of AUKUS nations, supporting global trade, national defence, and international security," it added
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see the Quad and AUKUS working together for maritime security. The Indian Ocean is critical for our trade, and any advanced underwater surveillance tech helps protect our interests too. Just hope India gets access to some of these capabilities through our partnerships. 🇮🇳
This is what real strategic cooperation looks like. The UUV payloads will give Australia, UK, and US a massive edge in undersea warfare. India should consider joining AUKUS Pillar II to access this tech, rather than relying solely on Russian hardware.
The focus on protecting seabed infrastructure is crucial. With all the undersea cables connecting India to the world, we need to be part of conversations about security. But this AUKUS club seems exclusive—why not include India in Pillar II from the start?
The timeline is interesting—2027 for initial deliveries. That's only three years away! If India wants to modernize its submarine fleet, we should explore joint development with like-minded partners. Standing on the sidelines while others leap ahead isn't wise. 🤔
This is a serious commitment to undersea dominance. The UUV payloads will revolutionize ASW and mine countermeasures. India's navy should watch closely—we might learn from their approach to modular payload systems. But we need our own indigenous solutions too.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.