West 2026: CNO touts continued AUKUS participation

USS North Carolina is shown here at Fleet Base West in Rockingham, Australia. The AUKUS agreement strengthens submarine collaboration for Australia, the UK, and the US. (US Navy)

The AUKUS agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States for greater submarine and related programme collaboration among those countries remains a major effort despite the current review, according to Admiral Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations (CNO).

“I'll be very direct: AUKUS is one of the most significant strategic undertakings in the history of the submarine force – and in my view, one of the most consequential defense partnerships of our lifetime,” Adm Caudle told members of the Navy Submarine League Pacific Southwest on 10 February, the same day he gave a keynote to the West 2026 conference, during which he underscored submarine operations.

“You may have seen reporting about the Presidential review of AUKUS,” Adm Caudle said during his Navy Submarine League Pacific Southwest speech. “Let me reassure you – that review is on track, and it reflects what I see every day – a serious, disciplined effort that is delivering real progress.”

For more about the AUKUS review and the agreement's impact on US production, please seeSpecial Report: US Navy faces challenges as submarine production ramps up .

He noted, “We are aligned across the US government, with Congress, and with our partners on workforce development, industrial base capacity, nuclear stewardship, and long-term sustainment. Our undersea advantage is collective, united, and formidable – and we intend to keep it that way.”

Adm Caudle added, “It's not just about boats. It's about shared deterrence, interoperability at the deepest levels, and a long-term commitment to peace through strength in the Indo-Pacific.”