Preserving the AUKUS Edge: Lawmakers Underscore Industrial Base Importance

US Lawmakers Unite to Safeguard AUKUS Partnership: Steady Submarine Procurement Crucial

In a recent bipartisan effort, House Armed Services Committee members have sent a stern warning to the White House, emphasizing the critical need for continued procurement of Virginia-class submarines to uphold the AUKUS partnership. The lawmakers stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy industrial base and ensuring sufficient submarine capacity for potential sales to Australia.

The joint letter, which bears the signatures of significant Republican and Democratic lawmakers, implores President Biden to uphold the plan to purchase two Virginia-class submarines each year while warning against any disruption that might jeopardize the supply chain’s reliability and efficacy. The lawmakers emphasized that any deviation from the planned procurement rates would have significant domestic and international implications, affecting allies and competitors.

Highlighting the pivotal nature of the Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal, the letter underscores the significance of the Virginia-class submarine program in sustaining the United States’ unmatched undersea domain edge. The lawmakers stress that the consistent procurement of two submarines per year is imperative to maintain this edge and meet the requirements of the AUKUS partnership.

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The letter highlights the necessity of building 2.33 attack boats annually to facilitate the potential sale of Virginia-class submarines to Australia, a crucial component of the AUKUS pact. It also underscores recent investments in the submarine industrial base, emphasizing the need for a persistent procurement of two boats per year to support supplier commitments and workforce stability.

Amid considerations to trim submarine procurement to allocate resources to more immediate threats, such as the situation in Taiwan, the bipartisan message urges a focus on sustaining the submarine industrial base. This development comes as Navy and Pentagon officials express frustration over delays in submarine construction, underscoring the significance of the consistent procurement of submarines for national defense and international partnerships.

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