The US Defense Minister called on Australia to increase defense spending and accelerate the production of submarines under the Aukus program.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday at a meeting in Singapore called on his Australian departmental colleague Richard Marles to increase Canberr’s defense spending. Together, they also discussed the need to significantly accelerate the production of American submarines to meet the objectives of the Aukus military pact between the US, Britain and Australia. According to Reuters, TASR writes about it.
Hegseth met Marles alongside the Shangri-La dialogue. He called on Australia with respect to increase defense spending, Marles said after a meeting in an interview with Australian public television ABC.
Increase expenditure
Canberra currently invests approximately two percent of his GDP in defense. Marles explained that they did not talk to Hegseth about a specific issue. However, Reuters recalls that Pentagon has recommended Australia to invest at least three percent of GDP in the past. According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australian spending could rise to 2.4 percent in the next decade.
Submarine purchases were also the subject of the interview. By the end of this year, Australia should pay the United States two billion dollars to buy three Virginia core submarines. It is the largest military purchase in Australian history. The first machines should arrive in the country after 2030.
Programs
“The Aukus project is being implemented and we talked about the need to preserve its dynamics,” said Australian Defense Minister. “We want the Virginia class of production, sustainability and availability,” he explained.
Reuters recalls that submarine production is lagging behind the targets of the US Department of Defense. In Washington, they are therefore worried that their sales can limit their own naval capabilities.
