US State Department official underscores industry involvement, data sharing for AUKUS

Australia, the UK, and the US are looking for more streamlined processes to share submarine-building technology for AUKUS. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

Australia, the UK, and the US will need to depend on industry and more streamlined processes for sharing data and technology for their AUKUS agreement to succeed, according to US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins.

“There's no way we're going to do this without industry being involved,” Jenkins said during a 27 AUKUS discussion at the Atlantic Council.

As the countries work towards the AUKUS Pillar 1 milestones to help Australia develop a nuclear-powered submarine fleet, the industries involved in these efforts will have to develop ways to more quickly share information and technology, she acknowledged, including some legislative changes.

“We recognise we need to work on some of our export controls and find a way to share information in a more streamlined process, a safer process,” she said.

AUKUS would be breaking new ground in government-industry relations, requiring seamless transfers and sharing of information while protecting the data.

“We have to learn from you, industry, about what you do and what has been successful,” she said.

“We're not trying to prevent people and companies from doing their work and making money,” she said. “It's about protecting technology that's being shared. It's in everyone's interest to make sure it's done correctly.”

Beyond this, the countries also have to focus attention on bolstering waterfront building capacity, she said.