AUKUS Forum

A four-nation grouping of Indo-Pacific democracies - Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea - would now be launched as a new, standalone diplomatic entity and partner for the US. The leaders of this group, the so-called Indo-Pacific Four or IP4, have been invited to join NATO summits in recent years, acknowledging that they share some of the same concerns as the NATO allies. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles plus the leaders of the other three IP4 countries are in Washington this week for NATO’s 75th anniversary summit. Campbell said that the group of four had developed into a new entity. “What you’ll see is a clear set of guidelines and initiatives designed to embed the IP4 into this nascent architecture that is emerging in the Indo-Pacific,” Campbell said. “We fully expect the IP4 to join AUKUS and the Quad as fundamental features of the diplomatic and military architecture and dialogue of the Pacific.” https://lnkd.in/gEXtNfPg

Australia, the US and other allied nations must increase their defence budgets and military preparedness because of the “enormous peril” of the times we live in and China’s increased strategic co-operation with Russia, Iran and North Korea, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell has warned. Dr Campbell delivered this striking assessment of Australia’s standing in the US: “There is no country held in as high regard as Australia. In recent years, Australia has been elevated to the absolute summit. Because of the Indo-Pacific, that is only going to grow over time. “We’ve just now, with the help of Australia, had the biggest uptick in investment in our submarine program since the Rickover navy (Admiral Hyman Rickover, father of the US nuclear navy, retired in 1982). We now better understand, through AUKUS, that we need to polish what is the jewel in our defence industrial effort, which is our (nuclear) submarine program.” The other striking challenge he nominated for the future of the alliance was the need to sell the alliance to young people who did not automatically understand the defining experiences of World War II and the period immediately after. https://lnkd.in/g34WUJB4

South Korea is a key ally of the United States, with longstanding military and economic ties. The US-South Korea alliance, formalized through the 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty, has been a cornerstone of regional security for decades. Incorporating South Korea into AUKUS would enhance interoperability and coordination among these allies, creating a more cohesive and formidable defense posture in the region. It would also reaffirm America’s commitment to the security of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, sending a strong message of solidarity and resolve. Countering North Korean Threats Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs pose a significant threat to regional stability. The regime’s continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, along with its unpredictable behavior, has heightened tensions and insecurity. The recent summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un highlights the potential for increased military and technological cooperation between North Korea and Russia, raising concerns among Western allies. By including Seoul in #AUKUS, the alliance could integrate South Korea’s advanced military capabilities and intelligence assets, providing a more robust deterrent against North Korean provocations. See https://lnkd.in/gQv5rypU

As we criss-cross the nation, the #AUKUS National Workshop Series moved to regional Queensland this week with factory site visits across the region. AUKUS Forum CEO, Michael Sharpe was joined by BANANA SHIRE COUNCIL Mayor, Nev Ferrier and Federal Member of Parliament, Colin Boyce MP 🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸 We visited a diverse range of industry and connected great research minds to local industry leaders including Callide Manufacturing Company with Samuel Jesuadian, COO of the ARM Hub (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Many thanks to Abhiney Arora, Executive Director of the Industry Capability Network for sharing his latest insights, along with Judd McCann, Program Director at Akana Ittatoba Pty Limited talking about First Nations Trade and much more. It’s always good to catch up with Mick Elliott from the Gladstone Manufacturing Hub and we also heard from Amy McDonnell and Tony Birch from Goal Group to discuss management systems and more as part of our AUKUS Connect Program. See https://lnkd.in/g2CAX_bE Learn more about the activities at the AUKUS Forum and get involved here https://lnkd.in/gKd__hnS Queensland Commissioner for Resources Safety & Health, Queensland Manufacturing Institute (QMI), Manufacturing Skills Queensland, Manufacturing Queensland, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Defence Australia 🇦🇺

#AUKUS opportunities 🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸

The US Navy has announced that it is set to deploy a torpedo-tube launch-and-recovery (TTL&R) uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) capability onboard an operational submarine for the first time. Vice Admiral Rob Gaucher, the US Navy’s Commander Submarine Forces said “We’re going to install UUVs on a submarine, USS Delaware, starting in a couple of weeks, and they will deploy by the end of the year,” “We’re already looking at who’s going to be next to start installing, so that we continuously have a submarine-operated vehicle,” Vice Adm Gaucher added. Delaware is a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN). Commissioned in April 2020, the Block III Virginia boat is the 18th of a planned force level of 66 Virginia hulls. Vice Adm Gaucher explained that delivering a fully integrated SSN-based UUV capability is a key development priority, as part of building the USN submarine force’s future operational posture. “From my perspective, we are not operating UUVs enough in the submarine force,” he added. https://lnkd.in/eyS4Z_fr

Airmen and B-1B Lancers return to Ellsworth after completing Bomber Task Force 24-6 Airmen from the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron returned to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, June 25, 2024, following the successful completion of Bomber Task Force 24-6 at Andersen AFB, Guam. This mission, conducted with Allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, achieved significant milestones in strengthening partnerships and advancing strategic objectives. Bomber Task Force missions allow U.S. Strategic Command to regularly test and evaluate the readiness of strategic assets, ensuring the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region while enhancing operational resilience. “The presence of B-1s, long-range strategic bombers, is a crucial demonstration of our commitment to the U.S. National Defense Strategy,” said Lt. Col. Christian Hoover, 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander. “Training and operating in highly contested environments enable superior tactics, techniques, and procedures for our Joint and Combined Forces. We are confident in our ability to quickly deploy anytime, anywhere, conducting integrated deterrence to dissuade and defeat aggression.” https://lnkd.in/g9XzgpSE

Deep in the Australian outback, Rurex is pioneering safe and cutting-edge solutions in the explosives and dangerous goods industries. Led by the driven and resourceful Ryan Esam, Rurex is breaking new ground. Rurex's involvement with The AUKUS Forum has expanded its influence. AUKUS Forum founder Michael Sharpe facilitated connections that led Ryan to collaborate with Jonathan Baker of Litecorp exploring Innovative uses for materials in fragmentation capture. "Jonathan and I are discussing possibilities and capabilities to use materials in ways they aren't currently designed or intended to be used," Ryan shared. See all the latest in the July edition of AUKUS Forum News here https://lnkd.in/gu7dviN9 AUKUS Connect 🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸 Rurex Pty Ltd and Lite Corp ✅

Many thanks to AUKUS Forum Columnist, Rory Copinger-Symes CBE, for sharing his views from the UK. “The jury is still out as to whether issuing challenges will be the way to invigorate P2 and actually deliver advancements. Many in the private sector believe that challenges are not agile enough and argue that what is needed is collaborative contracted engagement with industry, academia and defence customers.” Read all the latest in the July edition of AUKUS Forum News https://lnkd.in/gDqxBrv5 #AUKUS 🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸

China’s first homegrown aircraft carrier is operating with an assault ship in the South China Sea in an intimidating display to the Philippines. Three groups of warships have been sent into the South and East China Seas and the Pacific as the US and its allies conduct their biennial RIMPAC exercises off the island of Hawaii. The Chinese Type 815A surveillance ship Tianshuxing (795) was observed passing between Miyako Island and Okinawa to enter the Philippine Sea. These were likely on their way to monitor the radar, jamming and communications signals emitted by US, Australian and allied warships during their RIMPAC war-games near the Hawaiian Islands. And another group of Chinese destroyers and frigates, now joined by a Russian corvette, have been circling Japan, passing through the narrow Tsushima and Tsugaru Straits. Commercial satellite photographs this week captured a powerful eight-warship formation operating in the northwestern South China Sea near the Paracel Islands. China captured these islands from Vietnam in a 1974 invasion. https://lnkd.in/gan9Ap5A