Attributable to Department of Defense Spokesperson Lt. Col. David Herndon:
Performing the Duties of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Mara Karlin will lead a senior interagency delegation to Australia this week for a series of high-level trilateral engagements to advance the AUKUS defense and security partnership to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The delegation comprises officials from across the Department of Defense, representatives from the National Security Council staff, the Department of State, and the Department of Energy.
In Canberra, Dr. Karlin will co-chair, alongside her United Kingdom and Australian counterparts, the trilateral governance bodies for the two Pillars of AUKUS – conventionally-armed, nuclear powered submarines (Pillar I) and advanced capabilities (Pillar II). The AUKUS Submarine Executive Group will review progress in Pillar I to support Australia's acquisition of a sovereign nuclear-powered submarine capability, which was announced by President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in March 2023. The Advanced Capabilities Executive Group will accelerate Pillar II activities to advance cooperation and development on emerging technology areas—including artificial intelligence, quantum, cyber, and electronic warfare—and to strengthen the trilateral information sharing and innovation ecosystem. Together, these critical lines of effort bolster three of the United States' strongest advantages: our network of alliances, undersea capabilities, and technological edge.
Dr. Karlin's visit follows Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Washington last week and underscores the Administration's commitment to AUKUS as a foremost national security priority.