The secretive aftermath of a United States review of the three-nation Aukus defence deal to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines is necessary to shield the pact from any doubts over its viability, which analysts say could undermine political and public support.
The Pentagon last Thursday announced it had completed its assessment of the project and found areas to put the deal on the “strongest possible footing”, citing US President Donald Trump’s bid to move the arrangement “full steam ahead”.
Set up in 2021, Aukus is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK and the US to share advanced defence technology.
In June, the US launched a formal review into the deal primarily to ensure it aligns with the current administration’s “America First” agenda and to address concerns about Washington’s ability to meet its own submarine needs while supplying Canberra.
The review’s recommendations, however, had not been released and might never be made public, the Australian media reported.
At a meeting in Washington last Wednesday, Australian and American defence and foreign ministers reaffirmed in a joint statement their shared commitment to Aukus.
