AUKUS Forum

SECNAV Del Toro is ‘Evaluating All Legal Options’ Over Suspected Faulty Welds at Newport News Shipbuilding: Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro told the House Armed Services Committee that “the Navy is evaluating all legal options” over suspected faulty welds on three in-service ships and 23 ships yet-to-be delivered at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding, according to an Oct. 3 letter obtained by USNI News. Additionally Del Toro told the committee that “this matter has been referred to the Department of Justice to investigate any potential claims for breach of contract or false claims.” Navy Times first reported on the message from Del Toro on Friday. HII referred USNI News to the Department of Justice when asked about a potential investigation. The letter came the same day as a HASC request this week to Del Toro to provide the committee more information about several welds on aircraft carriers and Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines that were made by shipyard workers at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding who did not follow proper procedures. See https://lnkd.in/gQW59UiY #AUKUS Michael Sharpe

Oshkosh Defense's contract aligns with the AUKUS Go FAST initiative by showcasing innovation and rapid production in defense vehicle manufacturing.

New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins will provide an update on the situation - BREAKING NEWS The HMNZS Manawanui sank this morning after running aground on a reef near the southern coast of Upolu in Samoa last night and catching fire. This morning, Maritime Component Commander Commodore Shane Arndell said the 75 crew and passengers aboard HMNZS Manawanui made it to safety in Samoa after the ship grounded near the southern coast of Upolu. They are being supported in Samoa or on supporting vessels. “We are very grateful for the assistance of everyone involved, from RCCNZ who coordinated rescue efforts, to the vessels which responded and took our crew and passengers from Manawanui to safety,” Arndell said. At this stage the exact cause of the grounding is unknown and this will need further investigation. At 6.40am Sunday, the ship was listing heavily and smoke was visible from the ship. At 9.00am it was known to have capsized and was below the surface. The NZDF is working with authorities to understand the implications and minimise the environmental impacts. The NZDF will be sending aircraft to Samoa to bring them back to New Zealand. See https://lnkd.in/ggq6_qvs #AUKUS Michael Sharpe

In the case of #AUKUS, the focus on advanced military technologies, such as AI and cybersecurity, may have similar ripple effects. While developed for defense and strategic purposes, these technologies are likely to filter down into civilian industries, enhancing areas such as critical infrastructure protection, communication, and even autonomous systems in the civilian economy. The transfer of technologies from defense to industry could lead to widespread innovation, much like the seatbelt did.

🚀 AUKUS Go FAST: Accelerating Innovation in Defense Vehicle Manufacturing 🚀 AUKUS Forum CEO, Michael Sharpe, said the new "AUKUS Go FAST" initiative will drive innovation and speed up production in defense vehicle manufacturing across the AUKUS member nations. By leveraging future accelerated shared technologies, this initiative is strengthening defense vehicle manufacturers and opening doors for the automotive and motorsport industries to find new opportunities in adjacent defense markets. 🌟 We’re collaborating with: 🔹 Companies developing composite ballistic floor plates 🔹 Design engineers focused on lightweight structures and vehicle frames 🔹 Researchers specializing in advanced production capabilities From electronics, robotics welding, and specialized paints to rapid prototyping—AUKUS is breaking down barriers and fostering collaboration across the automotive and defense landscapes. NASCAR is a prime example of engineering with defense applications. 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, has developed 23XI Racing's cutting-edge ‘Airspeed’ headquarters, blending motorsport and Silicon Valley innovation. See https://lnkd.in/gYzhRPki The defense vehicle manufacturing space is growing—don’t miss out on the opportunities! 🔗 Contact AUKUS Forum Operations Director, Cathy Krimmer, to get involved: [email protected] #AUKUS #GoFAST #DefenseInnovation #AutomotiveEngineering #Motorsport #DefenseManufacturing #NASCAR #Innovation #AdvancedManufacturing Masters & Young, PAB Coventry Ltd, Pearson Engineering Ltd, Oshkosh Defense

The navies of Britain, Australia and the U.S. were able to control uncrewed ships in Australia while sitting more than 10,000 miles away in Portugal as part of a series of military experiments, Britain's Royal Navy said on Friday. The AUKUS security pact between the three nations, which aims to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region, is helping bring new military technology to the frontline at an "unprecedented" pace, the Royal Navy said. "The successes experienced, including proving the ability of all three AUKUS navies to command-and-control vessels on the other side of the world in a tactically realistic scenario, show how close we are to realising our ambition of a genuine team of crewed and uncrewed systems, capable of operating and prevailing everywhere on the planet, from the seabed to space," Royal Navy Director Develop James Parkin said in a statement. The experiments - dubbed "Maritime Big Play" - also tested other uncrewed equipment in mock operational scenarios. This included dropping payloads from a drone, with the ultimate aim of getting uncrewed technology to the frontline quickly. AUKUS nations are planning further experiments later this year, involving about 30 systems in a large-scale demonstration in the Indo-Pacific, the Royal Navy said. #AUKUS Michael Sharpe https://lnkd.in/gFrwhhK5

AUKUS Guardians - Western military space leaders are waking up to an uncomfortable reality: On-orbit threats to their space systems are here, but the ability to counter them may be a decade away. Beijing has demonstrated proximity operations around some of its defunct spacecraft and operational Western satellites, military and civilian officials say. China also has launched satellites with robotic arms that the U.S. Defense Department has warned could be used to engage other spacecraft. Moscow has performed “nesting doll” operations where a smaller spacecraft emerges from a main satellite. “We now face concurrent and accelerating threats in, from and to space,” Gen. Stephen Whiting, leader of U.S. Space Command, warned at the Defense in Space Conference in London in late September. Whiting and other Western space leaders are calling for greater investment in “dynamic space operations” to monitor spacecraft in nonstandard orbits better and thwart a potential adversary’s ability to track, target, disable or defeat friendly assets. The Space Force’s Commercial Space Office is seeking options for maneuverable satellites that can operate in GEO and plans to release a request for proposals in early 2025. The Defense Department is also modernizing ground systems to enable future dynamic space operations. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) is investing $1 billion over the next 5-7 years in a cloud-based infrastructure to replace two legacy platforms built to support positional satellites: the Enterprise Ground Services and the Ground Command, Control and Communications systems. #AUKUS Michael Sharpe https://lnkd.in/gsANyZed

UK cede British sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. The deal was given approval by the United States. US president Joe Biden said it would lead to “peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes”. Mr Biden said: “I applaud the historic agreement and conclusion of the negotiations between the Republic of Mauritius and the United Kingdom on the status of the Chagos Archipelago. “It is a clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome longstanding historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes. “This agreement affirms Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while granting the United Kingdom the authority to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia. “Diego Garcia is the site of a joint US-UK military facility that plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security. It enables the United States to support operations that demonstrate our shared commitment to regional stability, provide rapid response to crises, and counter some of the most challenging security threats we face. The agreement secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century. “We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Mauritius and the United Kingdom in upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific.” #AUKUS Michael Sharpe https://lnkd.in/g3cGp-B6

A letter by the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, addressed to the leaders of the armed services committees, lays out a laundry list of provisions contained in the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act that the Pentagon #opposes, including the addition of funding for construction of a second Virginia-class attack submarine. “Adding a second submarine would require the Department to reduce the Next Generation Fighter program by $400 million, making the fighter program unexecutable and degrading the Navy’s ability to field next generation aircraft capabilities required in the 2033 to 2037 timeframe,” Austin said in the letter. The House, which passed its version of the NDAA in June, authorized $1 billion for a second submarine, while the Senate Armed Services Committee approved $400 million in incremental funding to build a second sub. Austin noted that the department opposes both pathways for providing additional money for the program, stating that industry would not be able to produce a second #submarine “on a reasonable schedule,” and urging lawmakers instead to stick to the budget plan laid out by the Navy, which called for only one Virginia-class sub. The decision on whether to obligate additional money for a second submarine ultimately rests with congressional appropriators, who have been more hesitant to put forward the necessary funds. The House’s defense appropriations bill kept funding for the Virginia-class submarine at the levels requested by the Navy, while the Senate Appropriations Committee added $357 million to begin purchasing materials for a second shipset. (Austin’s letter did not touch on the appropriations bills.) #AUKUS Michael Sharpe https://lnkd.in/gZNuCfTN

The United States will soon send one of its largest-ever security assistance packages to Taiwan — nearly $570 million — the White House said late Monday in a move sure to anger China. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. is bound by law to sell arms to the island for its self-defense. In a statement, U.S. President Joe Biden ordered his secretary of state to “direct the drawdown of up to $567 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan.” The order means the U.S. will directly ship its own weapon stocks to Taiwan. https://lnkd.in/gubkdHpG