The Australia – United Kingdom – United States (AUKUS) security partnership, announced on September 15, 2021, was a watershed moment for competition with China in the Indo-Pacific region. Intended to “promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable,”1 the trilateral initiative consists of two 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, arguably has far greater potential for economic and security impact and cooperation among the AUKUS partners.
On May 9, 2024, the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in collaboration with 401 Tech Bridge hosted a closed-door roundtable on the partnership. The purpose of this roundtable was to identify the key challenges and opportunities associated with the co-development of advanced capabilities under Pillar 2 of AUKUS. The event convened experts from government, industry, and academia across the three countries to discuss implementation and lay a foundation for action.