At a public discussion hosted by the Hudson Institute on April 30, 2025, U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Todd Young announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan Ships for America Act, a sweeping legislative effort to rebuild U.S. maritime and shipbuilding capacity. During the event, Senator Kelly declared, “Australia will be at some point here in the future, building Virginia-class submarines, which is critical to the fight in the Western Pacific.” This statement framed Australia’s future production role as integral to the AUKUS trilateral pact and highlighted the growing urgency in Washington to counter China's maritime assertiveness through allied industrial integration and revitalized American shipbuilding. Read full defense news at this link...
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| The U.S. Navy currently produces only 1 to 1.2 Virginia-class submarines per year, far below the 2.3 needed to meet its operational requirements and AUKUS obligations. (Picture source: Australian Navy) |