In an effort to overtake Chinese competitors like China, AUS partners are putting together a bold new agreement that will pool sources, testing, and cutting-edge technologies.
According to Breaking Defense, the US, UK, and Australia have all agreed to strengthen their fast weapons arsenals under the AUKUS trilateral security agreement, which was signed this month.
The report says the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation ( HyFliTE ) Project Arrangement, announced this August, will facilitate using each other’s hypersonic weapons testing facilities and sharing , technical information necessary for developing and manufacturing the technologies.
By 2028, the arrangement will support up to six multilateral test flight campaigns with a US$ 25 million funding pool. According to the Breaking Defense report, Heidi Shyu, the senior civil in charge of research and engineering at the US Department of Defense, stressed the value of working together to advance the development of crucial enabling technologies like guidance and control and high-temperature materials.
John Healey, the UK’s defence minister, praised AUKUS lovers ‘ commitment to upholding international cooperation, promoting global peace, and promoting technological prowess over adversaries.
The UK statement also noted the use of up to 90 manufacturers through the Hypersonic Technologies and Capabilities Development Framework, which have away to$ 1.27 billion in commercial space.
The groundbreaking agreement, which aims to keep AUKUS partners at the forefront of the development of military technology, underscores the strategic significance of fast weapons in contemporary security.
By incorporating fast, exact strikes and a faster operational tempo, adding hypersonic weapons to existing military installations increases battlefield effectiveness, but it also raises interoperability, logistics, and infrastructure issues.
By 2030, the UK plans to have a fast weapon operationalized, according to a report from the UK Defense Journal in August 2024. Lord Coaker, the UK’s Minister of State for Defense, cited in the UK Defense Journal as saying that the UK’s Pillar 2 Advanced Capability Partnership ( AUKUS) has highlighted its position as a leader in hypersonic technology.
The UK Ministry of Defense’s Team Hypersonics is cited in the report as being a part of 90 providers ‘$ 1.26 billion Hypersonic Technologies and Capability Development Framework.
It notes that the weapon, expected to reach Mach 5, is designed to escape present air defenses and that testing of critical technologies, including a fresh propulsion system, is live, with deployment options for land, fighter jets, or warships also being considered.
The US Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile ( HACM) will be tested by Australia’s Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF ) F/A-18F Super Hornets over the Woomera Test Range, according to an article in Asia Times in June 2024.
This partnership, part of the US-Australia HACM system, aims to strengthen both nations ‘ air-launched hypersonic capabilities. The weapon, developed by Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, features a two-stage style and is expected to reach Mach 5.
The checks, driven by limitations in US testing facilities, reflect the deepening security agreement under the AUKUS deal. Australia’s Defense Strategic Review 2023 underlines the importance of long-range hit abilities for its anti-access/area neglect strategy.
By combining resources and expertise, the AUKUS deal facilitates cooperation in the testing and development of hypersonic technology. The deal aims to boost innovation and research, increase administrative readiness, and address China and Russia’s growing threats.
Mikayla Easley mentions in a February 2023 National Defense Magazine post that the , AUKUS deal facilitates combined testing and development, leveraging Australia’s superior fast research facilities, such as the Woomera Range Complex, and the UK’s expertise in aircraft and propulsion.
She points out that AUKUS encourages creativity and preparation in both research and development, making it possible for China to maintain a competitive edge in the face of competition.
As for China’s progress in fast arms, Asia Times reported this month that China’s fresh GDF-600 hypersonic weapons, unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow by the Guangdong Aerodynamic Research Academy, represents a significant improvement in fast systems.
Capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 7 and ranges between 200 and 600 km, the GDF-600 may take several submunitions, including hypersonic weapons, robots, and loitering weapons.
With its versatility, it can carry out reconnaissance missions, electronic warfare ( EW), and kinetic strikes on multiple targets. Integrating EW weapons, such as non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse ( NNEMP ) devices, enhances its ability to disrupt enemy communications and radar systems.
However, AUKUS faces strategic uncertainty as the US transition to a second inward-looking Trump administration, which could impact its progress on collaborative high-tech projects such as hypersonic weapons and nuclear submarines.
In a Washington Post article this month, Michael Miller predicts that US President-elect Trump’s return could disrupt the alliance. Miller points out Trump’s unpredictability with regard to alliances, citing options like allowing AUKUS to be discontinued while urging US strategic alliances or increasing Australian defense spending.
Additionally, Gideon Rachman claims that as Trump ascends to power and that Australia is overly dependent on US dominance in a Financial Times article from February 2024. The UK defense industrial base, according to Ravman, is in the same boat as Australia because of its weakness.
However, Peter Dean mentions that AUKUS will likely continue to exist despite changing priorities under a second Trump administration in an article from June 2024 for the Lowy Institute think tank.
Dean emphasizes AUKUS’s bipartisan support in the US Congress, which controls funding and has historically fought against Trump’s isolationist tendencies. He says that AUKUS is deeply integrated into the US defense bureaucracy, making it difficult to dismantle.
He points out that unlike the NATO alliance, AUKUS is a technology partnership focused on nuclear submarines, quantum computing, AI, and cyber capabilities. He claims that AUKUS thus aligns with Trump’s preference for greater financial contributions from allies.
Dean mentions that while Trump’s foreign policy is unpredictable, the strategic importance of AUKUS in countering China will likely ensure its continuation, emphasizing enduring US interests.