September 18, 2024
By Tim Welter | Jason Blessing
The Australia – United Kingdom – United States (AUKUS) security partnership, announced on September 15, 2021, was a watershed moment for the coalition’s competition with China in the Indo-Pacific region. Intended to “promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable,” the trilateral initiative consists of two primary lines of effort. Pillar 1 of the agreement, which hinges on the US and UK sharing nuclear propulsion technology and the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, has received the lion’s share of attention.2 Pillar 2, focused on the joint development of advanced technological capabilities, is gaining traction and arguably has far greater potential for economic and security impact and cooperation among the AUKUS partners.
The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, in collaboration with 401 Tech Bridge, hosts a series of closed-door virtual roundtables with representatives from government, industry, and academia, to address key challenges and opportunities associated with the co-development of advanced capabilities under Pillar 2 of AUKUS. On July 18, 2024, Potomac Institute convened experts from across the three countries to discuss implementation issues related to electronic warfare.
