At the Indian Ocean Defence and Security conference in Perth, Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, the head of the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA), painted a realistic picture of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine project. The endeavor, he warned, will be a lengthy, expensive journey fraught with setbacks, requiring “strategic patience” from all stakeholders.
“We have a long road ahead,” Mead told the conference on Thursday. “Developing these high-end apex capabilities necessary for effective deterrence is not easy, is not quick, nor is it cheap.” He emphasized the need for unwavering commitment, likening the project to a generational marathon rather than a sprint.
Despite the challenges, Mead expressed confidence in Australia’s ability to deliver. “The progress made already and the commitment of all involved demonstrate that we as a nation have what it takes to deliver on this ambitious program,” he asserted.
Earlier, the United Kingdom’s visiting naval chief, Admiral Ben Key, defended the significant financial contribution from Australian taxpayers. The Australian government has pledged $4.6 billion to UK industry for design work on the new SSN-AUKUS fleet and to expand a Rolls-Royce plant that builds the nuclear reactors.
“The reactor itself is not going to be built here in Australia, so it’s not unreasonable to expect and ask Australia to make some of the up-front investment that allows the United Kingdom to then build the reactor house,” Key explained. He highlighted the mutual benefits, noting that the UK will eventually gain from Australia’s nuclear submarine operating capability.
Key also acknowledged the ongoing discussions to balance AUKUS payments across the three nations involved. “A lot of work is going on across the three AUKUS capitals to look at the balance of the AUKUS payments,” he said, expressing comfort with the current funding levels.
The AUKUS project, a tri-nation agreement between Australia, the UK, and the US, aims to enhance Australia’s submarine capabilities. Under the agreement, the federal government is also providing a similar contribution to the United States to improve its submarine industrial base before delivering second-hand Virginia-class boats to Australia.
