AUKUS submarine deal faces criticism and challenges.

The US is optimistic that investments in the submarine industrial base will increase capacity to and even above the required two-a-year attack sub construction rate, allowing the US to build for Australia under the new AUKUS agreement without restricting the American fleet. The industrial base must sustain a minimum construction rate of two Virginia-class attack submarines and one Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine per year throughout this decade and into the next. The Navy is investing billions of dollars in the submarine industrial base to cut maintenance timelines, making the submarines the US Navy has more operationally available. Australia will invest $3 billion in the US and UK submarine industrial bases over the next four years.