Australia will not receive Australian nuclear submarines unless the U.S. doubles its shipbuilding, admiral warns | aukus

The nominee for the Navy’s Director of Operations told Congress that the United States cannot sell any Virginia-class nuclear submarines to Australia without increasing productivity because it has too little defense.

Admiral Daryl Caudle said in a frank evidence of the Senate Committee that there is no “no magic beans” to improve American hardened shipbuilding capacity.

The number of submarine fleets in the United States is one quarter lower than its target US government figures Show, this country is producing ships Half it needs Provide services for your own defense requirements.

Testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee As part of his confirmation process as head of the next Naval Operations, Kader praised the Royal Australian Navy sailors as “incredible submarines” but said the United States would not be able to sell them to any of their vessels – Aukus Pact – No shipbuilding rate “100% improvement”.

The U.S. Navy estimates that it needs to build Virginia-class submarines at a rate of 2.00 per year to meet its own defense requirements, about 2.33 There are enough ships to sell any ship to Australia. It is currently building the speed of the Virginia-class submarine 1.13 per yearsaid the senior admiral.

“Australia’s ability to engage in undersea warfare is no doubt, but it is well known that the pace of delivery is not what is needed to do well on the pillars,” said Coder. aukus Our Ministry of Defense is currently reviewing the agreement”.

Calder said efficiency improvements or marginal improvements were not enough to “good for the actual agreements we entered into with the UK and Australia, namely, Virginia-class submarines of Class 2.2 to 2.3 per year.”

“This will require improvement in transformation; not 10% improvement, not 20% improvement, but 100% improvement,” he said.

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Below Pillar One Under the Aukus agreement, Australia plans to purchase three to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the United States starting from 2032.

Britain will build the first Aukus-class submarine for its navy.The late 2030s”. The first Aukus ship built in Australia will be in the “early 2040s”. Australia’s losses reach $368 billion More than 30 years.

The goodwill of the United States to Australia, or imports from the United States Alliance, will have nothing to do with any decision to sell submarines: Aukus legislation prohibits the United States from selling any Australian submarines, if this would weaken the strength of the U.S. Navy.

Australia has paid $1.6 billion in the expected $4.7 billion ($3 billion) to help the U.S. push its marked shipbuilding industry.

However, the United States itself has been investing in shipbuilding codes without obvious impact.

The three will later issue a joint statement on the Nuclear Shipbuilding Country in April noted that despite Congress’ proposal of an additional $5.7 billion in wage increases and shipyard productivity, “we have not yet observed the necessary and expected rises for the necessary Columbia and Virginia-style small and small productivity.”

Caudle himself is a career submarine, and he said the United States would need “creativeness, creativity and some outsourcing improvements” if it was to meet its shipbuilding needs and produce 2.3 Virginia-class ships a year.

“There is no magic bean,” he said at a Senate hearing. “Nothing can be achieved. So the solution space must be open.”

“Why is there no plan B?”

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reported his first Senate testimony to Caudle, telling the GuardianNo lack of kindness From the United States to Australia”, but the reality of submarine shortage means that the Virginia-class submarine will never reach a “very very high” possibility under Australian control.

Turnbull said the language from the U.S. Navy experts is “Realistic framework expectations“, essentially, the United States cannot sell any of its Virginia-class ships without dramatic reforms. As the Collins class approaches the end of service life, Aukus submarine design and the delayed buildings facing in the UK may have no submarine capability left for a decade.

“The risk of our not getting any Virginia-class submarines is – objectively very, very high. The real question is, why doesn’t the government admit… why is there no Plan B? What are they doing to get alternative capabilities without Virginia not reaching?”

Turnbull is a diesel race submarine agreement signed by the Prime Minister and the French giant Navy, which was unilaterally abandoned in 2021 and was abandoned in 2021.

“When you compare the frankness and disclosure details that the U.S. Congress gets from the Admiralty, it’s a shame that we get here. Our parliament is at stake, but least curious, but least knowledgeable.

“Works in Australia continue to be fast” on Friday, Defense Secretary Richard Marles told reporters in Sydney.

“We continue to work very closely… As the United States develops, the best way to Australia has gained nuclear-powered subsea capability.”

“We continue to contribute financially to this industrial base in terms of production and maintenance schedules in the United States.”

Marles cited $1.6 billion that has been paid to the U.S. shipbuilding industry this year and further payments, saying 120 Australian businessmen are currently working to maintain Virginia-class submarines at Pearl Harbor.

“All of this work continues and we are really confident that we can increase productivity in the United States, which is a big part of Aukus’ ambition.”

The Guardian asked Mars’ office a series of questions about Kudell’s Senate testimony.