A UK parliamentary inquiry has raised serious concerns about the Aukus nuclear submarine agreement, warning that 'shortcomings and failures' in its delivery threaten to prevent the project from becoming a reality. The House of Commons defence committee report highlights that 'cracks are already beginning to show' in UK funding, which could derail the ambitious plan that Australia heavily depends on.
UK Submarine Capability Under Strain
The report reveals that UK shipbuilding has been under-funded for decades, leading to critically low submarine availability. When the nuclear submarine HMS Anson visited Australia in February, it was Britain's only attack-class submarine at sea. It had to be rapidly recalled to the northern hemisphere when conflict erupted in the Gulf, undermining confidence in the UK's capacity and commitment to Aukus.
Political Leadership Fading
The committee found that political leadership essential for Aukus's success has faded. 'We call on the prime minister to take a more visible role in promoting and driving forward Aukus to counter the political drift that could see it derailed,' the report states. The inquiry also expressed disquiet over government secrecy regarding Aukus progress, noting that a review by former national security adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove has not been publicly released over a year after its completion.
Australia's Dependence on UK
Australia is reliant on the UK's ability to design and build the new SSN-Aukus nuclear submarines. Any delay or failure on the UK side could leave Australia without sovereign long-term submarine capability. While Australia will buy between three and five Virginia-class submarines from the US to bridge the gap, US capacity to deliver these is also in jeopardy.
Financial Commitments and Contingencies
Australia has promised the UK A$4.6 billion to uplift submarine-building capacity and has sent nearly half a billion dollars to the UK Ministry of Defence. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Aukus is 'full steam ahead' with support from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. However, shadow defence minister James Paterson called for increased defence spending and contingency planning, suggesting B-21 stealth bomber jets could plug capability gaps caused by potential Aukus delays.
Structural and Workforce Challenges
The UK has only one shipyard for building submarines, at Barrow-in-Furness. While £200 million has been committed to upgrade the facility, the committee found that improvement timelines have already slipped. 'Efforts to regenerate Barrow to attract and maintain the workforce required to deliver SSN-Aukus must be properly funded,' the report said. It warned that Aukus would fail if seen as just another plan competing for scarce resources within the UK defence bureaucracy.
Committee Chair's Warning
Committee chair Tan Dhesi, a Labour MP, emphasised that 'cracks are already beginning to show' in Aukus funding. 'This cannot be allowed to happen again. Even seemingly minor shortfalls and delays snowball over time, with potentially severe consequences,' he said. The committee heard evidence that Britain's submarine fleet is the smallest in living memory and has been stretched to its limits, with risks of operating it to death.
