Britain s AUKUS adviser briefs US and Australian officials on project review

WASHINGTON - Britain’s special representative for the Aukus defence project, Sir Stephen Lovegrove, has been briefing US officials in Washington this week about a review of the project he presented to the British government in 2025, a British official said on May 1.

The Aukus defence partnership was formed in 2021 by Australia, the US and Britain to address shared worries about China’s growing power.

It envisages Australia acquiring US nuclear-powered attack submarines from 2032 and its deployment from 2040 of a new class of submarine built jointly with Britain using US technology, as well as the development of advanced weapons such as hypersonic missiles.

Sir Stephen, Britain’s national security adviser when Aukus was formed, was commissioned in 2024 to review Britain’s progress towards meeting its core commitments under the project and identify barriers to success.

A British official told Reuters that Sir Stephen had briefed Pentagon officials and senior US lawmakers on his report and was also due to meet officials from the US State Department.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sir Stephen has also discussed the report with Australian officials in London and Washington, and will travel to Australia soon, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Sir Stephen’s Washington visit comes just ahead of a national election in Australia on May 3.

The two main parties contesting the polls back Aukus, which is Australia’s biggest-ever defence project, but the opposition Liberal Party has been more vocal about the need to step up defence spending.

Before Australia takes ownership of submarines under Aukus, four US and one British commanded submarines will provide a “rotational