Wikipedia (en)
AUKUS ( AW-kəs), also styled as Aukus, is a trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific region between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Announced on 15 September 2021, the partnership involves the US and the UK assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. The partnership also includes cooperation on advanced cyber mechanisms, artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum technologies, undersea capabilities, hypersonic and counter-hypersonic, electronic warfare, innovation and information sharing. The partnership will focus on military capability, distinguishing it from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance that also includes New Zealand and Canada.
The International Centre for Defence and Security called the partnership "a powerful statement about the priority of the Indo-Pacific" and as a statement "that the larger institutional groupings aren't acting with the common purpose and speed that the current strategic and technological environment demands". The US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy called the partnership a "greater and deeper partnership" between the countries and said that it would provide a "lot of deterrence" in the Indo-Pacific. The government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) said the partnership risked "severely damaging regional peace" and had a "cold-war mentality", as the partnership was widely seen as being, at least in part, a response to China's status as an increasingly assertive emerging superpower.
The creation of the partnership spelled the end of a French–Australian submarine deal. On 17 September 2021, France recalled its ambassadors from Australia and the US; French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called the partnership a "stab in the back" following Australia's cancellation of the deal worth €56 billion (A$90 billion) without notice, ending recent efforts to develop a deeper strategic partnership between France and Australia. Following the ousting of Scott Morrison's government after the 2022 Australian federal election, the new Labor government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agreed to a €555 million (US$584 million) settlement with French defence contractor Naval Group. In response, French defence minister Lecornu said that France aims to rebuild its relationship with Australia. In addition, Albanese announced plans to travel to France to reset bilateral relations between the two countries.
