The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, will travel this week to Norway and the United Kingdom to meet with his counterparts and participate in the third AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
This visit to Norway follows the Albanese Government’s recent announcements with Kongsberg which include a $850 million contract to manufacture and service missiles in Newcastle and the announcement earlier this month of a $142 million contract to deliver the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for use by the Australian Defence Force.
The Deputy Prime Minister will then travel to London to join UK Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable John Healey MP and US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, to reaffirm their shared commitment to promote a prosperous, stable and secure Indo-Pacific through the AUKUS partnership.
This meeting follows the third anniversary of the AUKUS announcement and builds upon the significant progress made across both Pillar I and Pillar II this year.
The leaders will discuss progress under AUKUS Pillar I including the historic Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia in August and September this year, and the acceleration of workforce development initiatives, trilateral supply chain resilience and the uplift of respective industrial bases, reflecting the tangible commitments made by AUKUS partners to deliver the Optimal Pathway.
The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister will also discuss progress on AUKUS Pillar II Advanced Capabilities including the newly established export licence-free environment, which will support unprecedented levels of advanced scientific, technological and industrial cooperation between the partner nations.
AUKUS partners continue to reinforce their commitment to meeting the highest non-proliferation standard in progressing Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, in keeping with Australia’s existing international non-proliferation obligations.
The following can be attributed to Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:
“The Albanese Government has been working closely with Kongsberg and the Norwegian Government to see Australia both acquire and start manufacturing key missile technology here at home, and as a result securing hundreds of Australian jobs.
“I look forward to meeting my AUKUS counterparts in London, the first with Secretary Healey as we continue delivering key outcomes of AUKUS.”
