Antinuclear

Australia on track for exemption to accelerate AUKUS nuclear subs deal

SMH, By Farrah Tomazin, July 15, 2023 

Washington: Australia will be given an exemption from strict US export control laws to help accelerate the delivery of its $368 billion AUKUS submarine deal, under a bipartisan proposal making its way through Congress.

In a boost for the Albanese government, the plan to bolster Australia’s defences in the Indo-Pacific moved a step closer to reality on Friday (AEST) after a powerful US Senate committee approved draft legislation designed to turbocharge the ambitious three-way military pact with the US and UK.

If approved, the proposal, which was given the green light by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is expected to be debated more broadly next week, will help facilitate the transfer of Virginia-class ships under the AUKUS agreement and strengthen the submarine industrial base of the three nations involved………………………………………………………………………………………….

But while AUKUS has received broad bipartisan support, questions remain about the lengthy time frame of AUKUS, the extraordinary cost to taxpayers, and the myriad of rules governing the deal. Among them is the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) which could delay for years the transfer of crucial

technologies unless the system is reformed or a special waiver is granted.

To that end, the approval by the Foreign Relations Committee, which has jurisdiction over armed export controls and ship transfers, was an important boost for AUKUS, however there is still a long way to go before all the relevant

AUKUS legislation makes it through Congress.

Some US politicians have also raised concerns that AUKUS could stretch America’s industrial base “to breaking point”, given the industry was already struggling to meet its target to build two attack submarines a year. ……………………… https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/australia-on-track-for-exemption-to-accelerate-aukus-nuclear-subs-deal-20230715-p5dofd.html

July 15, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | weapons and war