AUKUS Looks to Aerospace for Future Growth

24 Oct, 2024 | News

The AUKUS security alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States is set to expand its scope, moving beyond its initial focus on submarines to include aerospace cooperation. Established in 2021 with the goal of promoting a secure and stable Indo-Pacific region, AUKUS initially centred around helping Australia procure nuclear-powered submarines. Now, the alliance is broadening its mission to enhance the defence industrial base through collaborative efforts in aerospace, hypersonic missile development, and quantum technologies.

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The US Air Force has already begun to expand its airmen exchange programs with Australia and is looking to extend these to other allies such as the UK, Canada, and New Zealand, marking a significant shift in defence cooperation among the three nations.

The expansion of AUKUS into aerospace highlights the growing importance of advanced technology in global defence strategies. The alliance will focus on breaking down barriers to collaboration, aiming for a more integrated defence industrial base. The AUKUS Forum, a non-profit group with ties to former high-ranking officials, emphasised the broader ambitions of the alliance, stating that “there will be submarines, but so much more.” This points to a future where AUKUS plays a key role in developing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum tech, in addition to aerospace advancements.

AUKUS Delegation Visits Bell for US Industry Collaboration

As part of this push, AUKUS Forum CEO Michael Sharpe visited Bell, a leading defence helicopter contractor, at its Texas headquarters in August. The visit aimed to strengthen ties between the US defence industry and the AUKUS partners. Sharpe and the delegation inspected Bell’s Manufacturing Technology Center in Fort Worth, where Bell is developing the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), a tiltrotor aircraft designed to revolutionise military aviation.

The FLRAA project, expected to enter service by 2031, could potentially see collaboration between Australia and the US. While discussions may focus on adopting best practices in modern defence manufacturing, the possibility of Australia joining the FLRAA program remains on the table.

Strengthening Defense Ties Through Advanced Technologies

The expansion of AUKUS into aerospace comes at a time when the US is easing licensing restrictions on defence technology exports to Australia, with up to 70% of these technologies now subject to fewer regulatory hurdles. This move is expected to streamline collaboration and accelerate the development of key defence projects across the alliance.

Australia’s recent acquisition of 40 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks and 12 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawks for its navy highlights its ongoing reliance on American-made defence equipment. With all of Australia’s combat jets also of US origin, this deepening aerospace partnership underscores AUKUS’s commitment to building a more resilient and integrated defence network.

As the AUKUS alliance looks beyond submarines to a wider range of defence technologies, its expansion into aerospace signifies the start of a new era in international security collaboration.

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