Australia confident issues in review of submarine project will be resolved

19/7/2025 6:28

Australia's ambassador to Washington said on Friday his country is working with the Pentagon on the U.S. Defense Department's review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved.



Kevin Rudd made the comment at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding U.S.-Australia alliance and his close relationship with Elbridge Colby, the U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, who initiated the review.



"We're working with Bridge and the team on the AUKUS review ... and we are confident that we'll work our way through each and every one of the issues which he has raised in the context of this internal Defense Department review," Rudd said, referring to Colby.



"Bridge has been around my place a lot of times, and so we have known each other for a long period of time, and that's why I'm confident, quite apart from the mature relationship within our two defense establishments ... that we'll work our way through this stuff."



Rudd, a former Australian prime minister, said the U.S.-Australia alliance had endured through 15 presidents and 15 prime ministers from different parties.