The Deputy prime minister and minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, will travel this week to Norway and the UK to participate in the third AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
This visit to Norway follows the Federal Government’s recent announcements with Kongsberg which include a $850 million contract to manufacture and service missiles in Newcastle.
It also follows the announcement earlier this month of a $142 million contract to deliver the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for use by the Australian Defence Force.
“The Albanese Government has been working closely with Kongsberg and the Norwegian Government to see Australia both acquire and start manufacturing key missile technology here at home, and as a result securing hundreds of Australian jobs,” said Marles.
Marles will then travel to London to join UK Secretary of State for Defence, the right honourable John Healey MP and US secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III.
There, Marles will reaffirm their shared commitment to promote a stable and secure Indo-Pacific through the AUKUS partnership.
“I look forward to meeting my AUKUS counterparts in London, the first with Secretary Healey as we continue delivering key outcomes of AUKUS,” said Marles.
This meeting follows the third anniversary of the AUKUS announcement and builds upon the significant progress made across both Pillar I and Pillar II this year.
The leaders will discuss progress under AUKUS Pillar I including the historic Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia in August and September this year.
Also to be discussed the acceleration of workforce development initiatives, trilateral supply chain resilience and the uplift of respective industrial bases, reflecting the tangible commitments made by AUKUS partners to deliver the Optimal Pathway.
The secretaries and Marles will also talk about progress on AUKUS Pillar II Advanced Capabilities including the newly established export licence-free environment.
This environment is set to support high levels of advanced scientific, technological and industrial cooperation between the partner nations.