US President Joe Biden warned AUKUS nuclear submarine deal could come at cost to American fleet
ABCTwo powerful US politicians have raised serious concerns about the AUKUS pact, warning President Joe Biden the proposal to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines risked harming America's industrial base to "breaking point". Key points: The senators warned against selling or transferring Virginia-class submarines to Australia A spokesperson for the defence minister says details of the AUKUS deal will be announced in the first half of 2023 Canberra's outgoing US ambassador says "bedding down" AUKUS is biggest challenge for new representative Kevin Rudd In a leaked letter dated December 21, first obtained by US publication Breaking Defense, the Democratic Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a former Republican colleague outline their anxieties over the ambitious project. A spokesperson for Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles said the deal to acquire nuclear submarines was "taking shape" and that an announcement would be made in the "first part" of this year. "As the Deputy Prime Minister has said, Australia is grateful for the work which we have been able to do with the United States and United Kingdom to enable Australia to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine capability, and the significance of the US working with the UK through the AUKUS framework to provide Australia with that important capability is not lost on us."