Senators worry about declining US nuclear submarine stock amidst Australia deal.
Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee are deeply concerned about the United States’ ability to defend itself following the agreement to supply American submarines to Australia.
The senators made the remarks during a Sept. 6 hearing where officials from the state and defense departments testified on the security partnership struck between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, known as AUKUS, in September 2021.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and President Joe Biden have agreed that Australia will acquire “conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) capability” by purchasing three submarines as part of the AUKUS partnership. This partnership also aims to develop and provide joint advanced military capabilities.
However, during Wednesday’s hearing, lawmakers raised concerns about the United States’ readiness to sell nuclear submarines to Australia, especially given the current tensions with China and Russia. There were also concerns about the contribution agreed upon by Australia, which has yet to be finalized.
Lawmakers pointed out that the U.S. Navy currently has 49 fast-attack submarines, leaving a shortfall of 17 submarines to meet the country’s defense needs.
In contrast, China and Russia are projected to surpass U.S. naval power, with China potentially commanding up to 440 warships by the end of the decade compared to America’s 290 vessels, according to a press release from Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
China ‘Outpacing’ US Navy
“We have talked a lot today about the People’s Republic of China, they have the largest navy in the world,” Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) said during the hearing. “They are expanding their capabilities and this is all part of the plan to dominate the world by 2049. In some areas, they are outpacing us but one area they cannot do that in is our allies, which is why this agreement is important.
“It is important that we get our ducks in a row to meet the commitment,” he continued, before citing the Navy’s requirement of 66 fast-attack nuclear submarines necessary to defend the nation.
Mr. Ricketts said the United States has 49 submarines, and nearly half of those are not available due to maintenance issues.
“We are grateful that the Australians want to invest $3 billion,” the lawmaker continued. “What are we going to have to invest to get to 66 submarines?”
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) shared a similar concern, noting that providing Australia with U.S. submarines could result in delays in the U.S. Navy reaching its optimal defense goals.
“Today, the Navy has 49 attack submarines, that’s roughly 25 percent short of its goal of 66 submarines,” Mr. Hagerty said. ”The pace of making as I’ve read is maybe 1.2 submarines a year. By giving these submarines to Australia, that will put us three to four years behind in our production process.”
Deal a ‘Risk We Should Not Take’
In July, a group of 25 Republicans, including Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), wrote to President Joe Biden warning that the plan to supply Australia with submarines, if implemented as it currently stands, would “unacceptably weaken the U.S. fleet even as China seeks to expand its military power and influence.”
“Under the current AUKUS plan to transfer U.S. Virginia-class submarines to a partner nation before meeting the Navy’s own requirements, the number of available nuclear submarines in the U.S. submarine fleet would be lowered further. This is a risk we should not take,” the Republicans wrote.
“We support the vision of the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) partnership and its potential to change the strategic landscape in the Indo-Pacific. The AUKUS agreement is vitally important, but we must simultaneously
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