Britain will maximise the benefits of AUKUS and unlock more
opportunities across the historic partnership, following the
Prime Minister appointing Sir as his Special
Representative on AUKUS today.
AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership between the
UK and two of its oldest and closest partners, Australia and the
United States. It will enable Australia to field a fleet of
nuclear-powered submarines in the Indo Pacific; strengthen the
defence industrial bases of both the UK and the US; and
accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge
technologies by all three countries. The AUKUS submarine
programme is set to generate 7,000 additional British jobs,
supporting the government's Plan for Change to kickstart economic
growth.
Sir Stephen will support the Defence Secretary and the National
Security Adviser to drive the AUKUS programme forward. He brings
a wealth of experience, having served as National Security
Adviser at the time of the AUKUS announcement in 2021, the Prime
Minister's Defence Industrial Adviser, and as the Permanent
Secretary at the Ministry of
Defence.
Last year, the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary commissioned
Sir Stephen to conduct a Review of the UK's progress against its
core commitments under AUKUS, identifying barriers to success,
and setting out recommendations on how to unlock further areas of
opportunity, both nationally and with the US and
Australia. Sir Stephen presented his findings to the
Prime Minister and Defence Secretary earlier this year. His
report will now be shared with US and Australian partners and a
public version released in due course.
Defence Secretary, said:
“AUKUS is a historic partnership which reinforces peace and
stability across the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, and will
also provide thousands of highly skilled jobs and investment in
communities across the UK. It shows how defence can be
an engine for growth across our three nations while keeping us
secure at home, and strong abroad.
“Sir Stephen is fully committed to ensuring the UK plays a
leading role within AUKUS and holds widely respected national
security experience.
“I am very grateful to him for taking up this appointment and
look forward to working closely with him and our partners in the
US and Australia as we take the AUKUS partnership to new
heights.”
Prime Minister's Special Representative on AUKUS, Sir
, said:
“When the AUKUS partnership was announced in 2021 it was
regarded, rightly, as the most significant capability
collaboration since the Mutual Defence Agreement of
1958.
“Since then, the strategic relevance of AUKUS has only increased.
It is a uniquely powerful partnership which will develop and
deliver cutting-edge capabilities, help to revitalise Britain's
defence industrial base and provide sustained employment for
thousands of people across the UK, US and Australia.
“I am delighted to accept the role as the Prime Minister's
Special Representative on AUKUS and I look forward to starting
work immediately to help maximise the potential of this vital
partnership.”
Sir Stephen will begin his role as Special Representative
tomorrow. He is travelling to Washington DC this week to present
his Review findings to the US government and will then travel to
Canberra to share findings with the Australian government after
the conclusion of the Australian federal
election.
The AUKUS partnership is supporting more unified defence and
industrial collaboration, better information and technology
sharing and greater resilience. The development of SSN-AUKUS and
new cutting-edge military technologies under AUKUS Pillar's One
and Two will help grow the UK's industrial base and improve the
enabling environment. It represents a multi-billion-pound
investment into UK industry, supporting thousands of new British
jobs.
