Why does the Australian government show so little enthusiasm for increasing the amount of aid going to Ukraine? Doing so is overwhelmingly popular with about 80% of Australians in favour. However, it looks like the government and our officials are doing just enough to tick a few boxes. At a minimum a single person with a lot of authority needs to be put in charge of the aid program – and they need to get moving. Then a media trip to a factory in the Queensland town of Maryborough that manufactures 155mm artillery shells – and all of them are purchased by the German government before finding their way to Ukraine. A Joint Venture between Australian company NIOA and Germany’s Rheinmetall Waffe Munition, it could form an essential part of a sovereign 155mm projectile capability – but again that requires a decision followed by action. Finally a few words about AUKUS and Virginia class submarines – we do the maths and figure which ones we might receive.

and more bad news for the AUKUS submarine schedule with Lloyd Austin opposing increasing production to two Virginia-class vessels per year: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/10/adding-second-virginia-class-sub-would-come-at-expense-of-navys-next-gen-fighter-austin-warns/?utm_campaign=Breaking%20Defense%20Sea&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9pL3Uabl1ua-GE1IKI8l15gbArNsEDZOXcMC_5jycGVWMuZFNkD5GTW3-PAFLs08tpDFVO89n-uWLgT1dTq3c5755Otw&_hsmi=327502987&utm_content=327502987&utm_source=hs_email
Indeed – and the Virginia maintenance backlog is about three years and seems to be getting worse.
The AUKUS Project is a Big enough gamble as is without trusting to the good intentions of the United States. When the time comes for the U.S. to deliver on its promises the first and foremost priority will be its own Defence Needs, IF they can they will but if it impinges on their own capability in any way, Forget it.