The Virgina-class USS Idaho was christened in a ceremony on March 16. By Anthony Capaccio June 12, 2025 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ment-with-australia-and-uk?srnd=homepage-asia The Pentagon has launched a review of the Biden-era Aukus pact to develop nuclear-powered submarines with Australia and the UK, as the Trump administration looks to shift the burden for collective defense to allies and make sure the US has enough warships of its own. The review will study whether the deal, signed by President Joe Biden’s team in 2021, is “aligned with the President’s America First agenda,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “As Secretary Hegseth has made clear, this means ensuring the highest readiness of our servicemembers, that allies step up fully to do their part for collective defense, and that the defense industrial base is meeting our needs,” it said. Australia signed the Aukus security partnership with the US and UK in September 2021, part of a pivot by Washington and London to strengthen their presence in the Indo-Pacific region as China’s military power grows. The deal called for the US to sell Australia as many as five of its Virginia-class submarines and then, farther into the future, for Canberra and London to deliver a next-generation submarine — to be dubbed the SSN Aukus — together. But US submarine production has been plagued by delays and cost overruns, and some Trump administration officials have questioned the wisdom of the program. Last year, a top US lawmaker revealed that the new Virginia-class submarine is two years behind schedule and is projected to run $17 billion over the planned budget through 2030. Skeptics include Defense Undersecretary for Policy Elbridge Colby. Last year, he posted to social media that “it would be crazy to have fewer SSNs in the right place and time,” using the shorthand for nuclear-powered attack submarine.