The State Department of United States (US) has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of AUKUS-related Training and Training Devices and related equipment.
The estimated total program cost is up to $2.0 billion.
Notably, the Government of Australia has requested to buy articles and services in support of the Trilateral AUKUS Pillar I program.
Included are
- training devices
- personnel training
- planning, and Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) services
- support equipment
- special tools
- training software and courseware
- design; supply chain and industrial base support
- facilities and construction support
- publications and technical documentation
- personnel training and training equipment
- U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services
- test and trials support
- studies and surveys
- other related elements of engineering and repair services for associated equipment and program support
- other related elements of logistic and program support
Also, to be noted that U.S. training of private Australian industry personnel will occur only after explicitly authorized by the U.S. Department of State in accordance with U.S. law.
This proposed sale will advance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States and Australia.
Australia is one of the closest, most trusted, and capable global allies of US, committed to ensuring peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
The U.S.-Australia alliance is critical to U.S. national interests, and the United States has a long history of working with Australia to develop and maintain strong defense capabilities.
Specifically, the proposed sale will improve Australia’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling an effective capacity to protect maritime interests and infrastructure in support of its strategic mission.
The sale will advance the AUKUS trilateral agreement by providing the equipment to train Royal Australian Navy crews in areas such as submarine navigation, communications, ship control, and other capabilities.
Additionally, it will also provide the means to train select Australian civilians and contractors at United States Naval Shipyards.
This trained workforce will grow Australia’s submarine capability, which is expected to ultimately incorporate technologies from all three AUKUS partner nations. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region and serves to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region that is secure and stable in line with U.S. national security, foreign policy, and defense goals.
The principal contractors will be Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News, VA; General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT; and Systems Planning Analysis, Alexandria, VA. There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale requires the assignment of approximately seventy (70) additional U.S. Government and contractor representatives to Australia for a duration of approximately three (3) years to support in-person training, equipment familiarization, and on-site engineering and maintenance of simulation and training devices.
