Aukus had a less than immaculate conception. It was conceived in secrecy and born in haste, a tribute to political opportunism and a travesty of disciplined planning. The enthusiasm of theatrical announcements notwithstanding, it was in trouble from the beginning. The US Navy had serious doubts about both the ability of US shipbuilders to deliver submarines in any workable timeframe and the ability of the Royal Australian Navy to integrate and operate them. That was not a question of trust but of capacity – on both sides.
And, of course, experienced and well-informed Australian defence planners rang the warning bells from the beginning.
Isn’t that the subs that France would have already delivered years ago for a fraction of the price, had Australia not cancelled the contract to order American subs that everyone told them would be late and over budget ?
Yep, those are the subs in question. A poor substitution at the time when it would have cost less just to swap to the French nuclear subs they initially offered