Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford, recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence about the UK’s progress in developing undersea and counter-hypersonic capabilities as part of AUKUS Pillar 2.
The inquiry sought an update on advancements made under the trilateral security partnership between the UK, US, and Australia.
Luke Pollard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, provided a detailed response outlining the ongoing efforts in collaboration with AUKUS partners.
He explained that significant work is being done on developing undersea capabilities, particularly focusing on the use of uncrewed underwater systems. Pollard stated:
“With our AUKUS partners we are undertaking a range of work developing undersea capabilities, including the ability to launch and recover uncrewed underwater systems from current classes of British and American submarines and integrating this capability to the SSN-AUKUS design.”
The UK and its partners are also exploring further collaboration on undersea warfare sensors and payloads. This includes integrating the Sting Ray torpedo into maritime patrol aircraft used by both the UK and the US, and employing advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to process data from the nations’ sonobuoys.
In addition to undersea efforts, Pollard highlighted progress on hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities. The AUKUS partners are working together on a series of trilateral tests and experiments aimed at accelerating the development of these critical technologies. Pollard said:
“The AUKUS partners are increasing our collective ability to develop and deliver hypersonic and counter-hypersonic technologies through a series of trilateral tests and experiments that will accelerate the development of hypersonic concepts and critical enabling technologies.”
Another uncomfortable thought: Wonder whether anyone in authority has given sufficient thought re how the despotic leaders of the Axis of Misfit Toys (IR, NK, PRC, RU) perceive the threat of the AUKUS alliance? Reasonably obvious that, over time, the combined technology development efforts of the original participants (plus selected other nations in various Pillar 2 initiatives), will swamp the technology development efforts of the Axis of Misfits. By the early-to-mid 2040s, predict significant advances in a variety of weapon system arenas. Therefore, one or more of the moppets may be sorely tempted to pull the trigger on aggression, while they enjoy the maximum degree of relative military superiority. Just sayin’–virtually any timeframe during the next 15 to 20 yrs. could become quite sporting. 🤔😳
There have been assessments made that would indicate a punch-up with China over Taiwan could kick off as soon 2027. Apparently the PRC folks won’t be quite ready until then. They are still playing with their shinny new aircraft carrier in the SCS bathtub.
Draw from that what you may but undoubtedly, the world is becoming more and more unstable as time goes by – something eerily missed by previous HMGs of both stripes to be fair but especially those in power at the moment who seem hell-bent on cutting defence spending. I say it’s nothing short of a dereliction of duty!
Yes, generally attempt to draw comfort and reassurance from accounts that state that we are assured two more years of peace, however, visions of Battleship Row at Pearl, and a/c lined up wingtip-to-wingtip at Wheeler Field, circa 7 Dec 41, involuntarily intrude on those idyllic meditations. Apparently, absolutely no one believes that a bolt from the blue is possible. Hereby wish to state that a modern equivalent operation would be many orders of magnitude more severe and encompassing than Pearl Harbor.
As soon as 2027, and probably not later than about 2035, i.e. a specific window of optimum opportunity for them.
Proof of progress is a working prototype