Pentagon’s AUKUS Review Verdict Delayed, Leaving Pact in Limbo

The United States has confirmed it will not complete its review of the AUKUS security pact until later this year, leaving the future of Australia’s $368 billion (US$233 billion) submarine deal in limbo.

A statement posted by the Office of U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby on X stated, “The department anticipates completing the review in the fall,” which spans from late September to November.

This is the Trump administration’s first official statement setting a timeline for the AUKUS review.

The Pentagon says the assessment will be “fact-based” and “rigorous,” examining whether the agreement aligns with Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy.

Colby Leads In-Depth Review

According to Colby’s office, the review will take an “empirical and clear-eyed” approach to assessing the AUKUS framework.

“As part of this process the department looks forward to continuing regular engagements on this important matter with other parts of the U.S. government, the U.S. Congress, our other allies Australia and the United Kingdom, and other key stakeholders,” the statement said.

The trilateral agreement involving Australia, the U.S. and the UK—conceptualised in 2021 under the Morrison government—aims to strengthen regional defence and counter Beijing’s rising military influence.

Beyond submarines, the pact also includes cooperation in advanced military technologies such as quantum computing, unmanned systems, hypersonic weapons, and undersea warfare capabilities.

Colby has previously backed AUKUS “in principle” but warned about challenges to its implementation, including a potential shortage of 8,000 engineers needed to deliver the program.

UK, Australia Cement Defence Pact

Despite the uncertainty from the U.S. side, Australia and the UK are moving ahead with plans to deepen their defence cooperation.

A new 50-year treaty was signed during a British delegation’s official visit to Sydney, reinforcing ties under the AUKUS framework.

“This historic treaty confirms our AUKUS commitment for the next half century,” said UK Defence Secretary John Healey, who visited Australia alongside Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said that in “uncertain times,” the two nations were “strengthening and modernising” their relationship.

“We take the world as it is, but together, we are working to shape it for the better,” she said.