Raising AUKUS Pillar Two: Integrating Autonomous Systems into the ADF

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The AUKUS agreement—which includes Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—is best known for the nuclear submarines that Australia will receive at the end of this decade. But AUKUS’s lesser-known second pillar focuses on technology sharing and is more likely to affect the Australian Defense Force’s capability and capacity in the near term. Uncrewed systems are one of the foundations of AUKUS Pillar Two, which also includes hypersonic weapons, quantum technology, and electronic warfare. These emerging systems will be essential as Australia responds to intensifying security competition with China as well as challenges in border security and homeland defense. Like their counterparts in the US Department of Defense, Australian defense officials will need to formulate new business and development practices that allow for innovation within government policies and structures.

Join Hudson’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology for a discussion on these strategies with the Australian defense officials who are currently working to implement them.