Aukus should expand to other shipbuilding nations, US congressman suggests, as Albanese returns to Australia

A senior member of the US House Armed Services Committee has stated that Washington must significantly increase its defense manufacturing capacity. This is a prerequisite for fulfilling its commitment to sell nuclear submarines to Australia under the Aukus pact. The congressman acknowledged that US shipyards are not currently producing submarines at a sufficient rate to meet domestic needs. To address this, he suggested potentially including countries like Japan, South Korea, or Norway in the Aukus agreement. Such an expansion could bolster overall submarine production capabilities. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently returned from Washington. He secured Donald Trump's endorsement of Aukus. He also received renewed support from influential figures in the US Congress. Both Republicans and Democrats reiterated their commitment to assisting Australia. This support includes helping Australia acquire second-hand American submarines. However, persistent concerns remain regarding the US's ability to supply additional submarines. The current production pace raises questions about meeting both American and Australian demands.