Seemingly as a followup to my article of March 25, 2025 "Heightened US ITAR Regs Blocking AUKUS..." Reuters, via the (Singapore) STRAITS TIMES, reported May 3, 2025:
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/britains-aukus-adviser-briefs-us-and-australian-officials-on-project-review
"...Mr Trump’s tariff plans have raised some concerns about Aukus in Australia and questions remain as to whether Washington can boost US submarine production to meet its own targets and allow sales to Australia.
Among other obstacles, US controls on sensitive defence exports, relaxed for Australia and Britain and the Aukus project in 2024, still apply to certain submarine technology, requiring the issuance of special licences that can be time-consuming to obtain.
There have been concerns, too, about the Australian Labor government’s reluctance to discuss using Aukus submarines against China, something that could hurt US deterrence efforts in the Indo-Pacific if US vessels are transferred. REUTERS"